Yes I know I'm nuts I never thought I'd take my 8 month old with us. But we also have an 11 year old and it just worked out like this for us. We will be at D-land on Friday.

I am wondering if anyone else has taken a non-mobile baby with them. I don't intend on bringing a stroller, but just a sling (a pack that wraps around mom and the baby on her hip).

Is there a place to breastfeed in peace? Where are the quiet areas?

I know it's nuts but I'm trying to make the best of things.

Thanks in advance!!

Meg

Originally posted by megtell
I don't intend on bringing a stroller, but just a sling (a pack that wraps around mom and the baby on her hip).
I advise against that. The sling will be nice for short periods of time, but you will get very tired carrying around a baby all day. Also, baby sleeps better when laying down in a reclined stroller. (Nap times will be some of your favorite times. ;) )

We've been to Disneyland several times with a baby. We even went to Paramount's Great America a couple months ago with a 1 month old, and plan on taking him (will be 4 months old) to Disneyland in 2 weeks. We'll also have a couple of my twin nieces along with us who will be 3 months old. It's really not that difficult if you just take things slowly and don't try to stick to a fixed schedule. You'll need to make allowances and sacrifices. Sometimes you'll have to sit on a bench for an hour, while your spouse takes the older kids on rides. But you'll get to trade off once in a while too.

Disneyland (and I hear DCA) has a Baby Care Center that is very quite and nice for mom and baby to relax together. Have you seen Adrienne Krock's articles on Parenting in the Park (http://www.mouseplanet.com/akrock/)? There's a good one there on feeding (http://www.mouseplanet.com/akrock/ak010921.htm) and what to prepare. We've never had a problem with just covering up with a blanket while sitting at a quiet bench or at our table in a restaurant.

The baby center at the castle end of Main Street, down the side street called "East Plaza," is a godsend for baby-caring parents. It's right near First Aid, also a handy place to know.

When my kids were small, I took them in there regularly for diaper changes on the long padded Naugahyde tables with the walls on the edges and velcro straps that kept a squirming kid from discovering Linoleumland. They also have small flush toilets for kids' use.

They can sell you diapers and baby food if you need them -- it used to be at cost, it may still be, I haven't been there in over ten years -- and they have quiet places with high chairs for feeding and a lounge for breastfeeding (my wife says it's quite nice).

Best of all were the sweet granny-lady types in nurse's uniforms who staff the place and can help you with anything you need. I remember one time I had a fidgety kid with a particularly messy diaper and the lady came up and started gesturing with one hand and saying gibberish to distract him while with the other hand she grabbed a diaper-disposal bag, opened it with a flip of the wrist and placed it -- standing up, no less -- right where I needed it, all the while distracting my son as I cleaned him up.

The only drawback is that they have a one-baby-one-adult policy, so only one adult can enjoy the atmosphere at a time.

--T

I agree as well...bring a stroller! Even if your baby does not spend much time in it, it will help with carrying around his/her diaper bag, and whatnots that all little babies need! Not to mention, a break for your back!

The CM are always helpful when loading the strollers on the tram, so that makes it nice.

As far as the Baby Care Center...it is really nice! They have a feeding area, a breastfeeding area, and a diaper changing/toddler toilet area.

The feeding area has highchairs, microwaves, play area (for kids not eating), and you can buy formula, diapers, wipes, etc if you run out.

The diaper changing area has about 5 changing tables. All of them are padded and have great edges on them, so that a little one will not roll off. In this area, they have 2 little toddler size toilets as well, plus a sink.

The breastfeeding area is great as well! They have individually curtained areas for mothers to sit and feed. I believe they also have a general area where they have a few rocking chairs for the mothers as well!

The Baby Care Center is located at the Castle end of Main Street, on the right hand side...next to the Kodak Store.

As far as other quiet places to breastfeed, I would proabley say along the backside of TM, where the Hunchback of Notre Dame show use to be, although their are a lot of people that walk through there...it does not seem to be as noisy as alot of other areas.

Originally posted by crc9998
...along the backside of TM, where the Hunchback of Notre Dame show use to be...
Isn't that a smoking area now?

My youngest daughter (I have 3 daughters) was 4 weeks old on her first trip to Disneyland...

Thank God for the Baby Care Center at the end of Main St. I usually am not uptight about nursing in public...but we had had a horrific morning, with her older sister getting lost in Disneyland, that I just wanted a quiet, out of the way place to sit in comfort, away from crowds to nurse.

They are so helpful and caring at the center...it was a joy to go there and get some respite from the busy day.

I too agree about the stroller. A 4 week old is not such a big deal to carry around for part of the day...but an 8 month old is going to feel like a huge bag of bricks or boulders by the end of the day...:(

Take everyone's advice, use the Baby Care Center...and rent or bring a stroller...

Is it??? I never noticed, I never bothered to look for the smoking sections, and did not think about that...so you will want to check that out as well! Thanks for the info Bill! :)

Re: Taking a baby to the park: I couldn't possibly call you crazy- my sons first went to DL when they were 19 days and 17 days old ;) I wrote this column (http://www.mouseplanet.com/akrock/akrock26.htm) about taking one-year-olds to DLR-- a little older than your baby but I think there are some decent tips there.

RE: Breastfeeding-- I'm a mom would would nurse anywhere, anytime and my sons were both pretty easy about that. This column (http://www.mouseplanet.com/akrock/ak010921.htm) addresses nursing at Disneyland in more depth. The one comment I have after reading this thread: the DL BCC is wonderful but you cannot take other people-- children spouses, etc, into the nursing area with you, so for me, that's a big drawback. I'm a very social person and when I was alone with two kids, I couldn't leave one child unattended!

That column also addresses diaper bags. I always take a very well stocked diaper bag to Disneyland (or any theme park.) For that reason, I really love my stroller-- to help carry the diaper bag AND the baby. I have used my Baby Bjorn at Disneyland a lot-- it's great in line and when the baby sleeps better on me than in the stroller. But I would not dream of tackling a day at a theme park without my stroller. On that topic, I did write an article (http://www.mouseplanet.com/akrock/akrock3.htm) (or two (http://www.mouseplanet.com/akrock/akrock2.htm) well, actually, three (http://www.mouseplanet.com/akrock/ak010620.htm) but the last one focuses on double strollers and WDW rentals) about strollers at DLR-- short summary-- I believe in bringing your own stroller with decent storage space, and I prefer strollers that collapse.

Adrienne K

P.S.- I forgot to link my favorite article-- the Baby Care Center (http://www.mouseplanet.com/akrock/hello.htm) :)

What great ideas! Maybe I'll rent a stroller--I haven't used one since my 11 year old was little. I have carried her all day in the sling, but maybe not for D-Land.

I read that article after I posted and LOVED it! Great info!!

I'm not too shy about nursing in public, heck I make and sell breastfeeding tees for babies, but sometimes Mary is squirley.

Thanks again everyone!!!!

Megan

We couldn't imagine going to DL without a stroller when our kids were little; however, if you are used to carrying the little one around all day in the heat, I would say there are some benefits to not having a stroller.

1. Easier to manuver in the crowds
2. On some rides, when it is crowded, your stroller can end up behind about 10 other strollers, getting it out can be a pain
3. Easier to manuver in the crowds
4. Don't have to fold it up on the trains, monorail, and trams (yes, you can ride the first or last tram car which will hold your stoller without folding, but those can get crowded during busy times)
5. Easier to manuver in the crowds
6. Did I mention how it is easier to manuver? (I hope I'm spelling manuver correctly ;) )

I would try it without the stroller for a bit to see how it goes, if you decide that its too much (and if you've carried her all day before, there is no reason you won't be able to do it at DL) you can always rent one later.

Remember ... I read a statistic someone posted on the average distance of walking a person does in Disneyland, and it was something like 8 miles per day! While you may be used to your sling, are you used to 8 miles and standing in lines? And does baby have full view in the sling? She may get ancy, wanting to see all the people and things around her with so much stimulation...