Babywearing at the Parks

[DisneyMomma1216]

Hey everyone! We are planning on making a short getaway to WDW in October. We now have a little addition to our family, and he will be 3 months old when we go. I'm planning on bringing my Ergo - so please bombard me with your advice/suggestions on babywearing in the parks! TIA!

 

[kohlby]

I don't really have any suggestions for babywearing, other than to make sure the baby is used to it. We took kids for the first time when my second child was 2 months old. She hung out happily in the sling. (My first child did not like being worn initially though my other two did. He didn't like the stroller either. So, to get him to like the sling, I nursed him with the sling super loose while sitting down. I continued to make the sling a little tighter over time until it was all the way on. He loved nursing so he learned to like the sling).

 

[DisneyMomma1216]

Thankfully, he is used to it. He was born premature, and one of the things the NICU recommended was baby wearing while we are out in public for the comfort, and to keep him upright (he has really bad reflux). He does really well in my Ergo, so I don't expect problems on that end. I'm more curious to see what will happen when I try to go on rides with him, as he will be too small to face forward, and I can't actually face him forward in my carrier. I plan on bringing his stroller as well, and will probably have a double stroller since my 3.5 year old likes to take midday breaks/short naps in it. Plus, we will need a place to store our stuff lol.

 

[Bob Dolewhip]

It can be hot in October! Just make sure your Ergo has enough breathability so you guys don't get overheated.

 

[PlainJane]

You might have to take him out or not ride (if he fell asleep in the carrier) depending on the loading CM. Technically, babies are supposed to forward face, enforcement of this is spotty.

As someone said above, October is still pretty warm, so you could have some issues with overheating.

Definitely take the double, so you can take breaks if needed.

 

[DisneyMomma1216]

It can be hot in October! Just make sure your Ergo has enough breathability so you guys don't get overheated.

You might have to take him out or not ride (if he fell asleep in the carrier) depending on the loading CM. Technically, babies are supposed to forward face, enforcement of this is spotty.

As someone said above, October is still pretty warm, so you could have some issues with overheating.

Definitely take the double, so you can take breaks if needed.

Thanks! Our Ergo is pretty good with keeping us cool. I do take him out when I start to feel heated. We first tested it on 4th of July weekend walking around Philly, so it was definitely a hot one. We are used to the heat and humidity up here, and Florida doesn't bother us too much.

I was afraid of possibly having to take him out, but I'll do it if necessary. The issue I have is that he was born prematurely, so he's smaller - and though he'll be 3 months, I'm still going to need to use the newborn insert with him, and there is no way I can face him out. He'll just be too little at that point. I plan on buying our double soon, so I know that'll be an option, but he's a snuggler, so wearing him will probably reign over him being in the stroller.

 

[DisneyMomma1216]

If I do have to take him out, at least he's small enough where it's not too bad holding him in lines lol. Thanks so much for your feedback! I definitely appreciate any advice!

 

[PlainJane]

I've heard reports that enforcement is not as strict with smaller babies, essentially the babies that look younger, so you might not have issues. I would just prepare yourself for the possibility of having to take him out or not ride.

We haven't gone to Disney with our son yet, but he looks twice his age, so I'm assuming we will be asked to turn him around. If I'm wearing him in the line, I plan to face him out, so I don't have the waking a sleeping baby problem, but I know that's not an option for you at this time. Maybe when your son is older.

 

[PirateRedhead]

I swapped between the Ergo for lines and the stroller for traveling through the parks. She was 7 months & big so all-day wearing would have been painful. Sounds like you might not need to swap so much! She fell asleep in line for Pirates and they did not make me take her out to ride, which was great. To help with body heat, we did a lot of indoor air conditioned attractions like Bear Country Jamboree. Have a great time!

 

[ghtx]

Five years ago we took our (then) 3-month-old to WDW in October and wore her in an Ergo (mostly my wife, but I wore her a few times). It was great! Yes a little hot occasionally - we took mid-day hotel breaks every day during the hottest part. I honestly don't remember ever having to take her out for a ride but maybe I'm forgetting.

 

[margot31]

I swapped between the Ergo for lines and the stroller for traveling through the parks. She was 7 months & big so all-day wearing would have been painful. Sounds like you might not need to swap so much! She fell asleep in line for Pirates and they did not make me take her out to ride, which was great. To help with body heat, we did a lot of indoor air conditioned attractions like Bear Country Jamboree. Have a great time!

We did this too. I wore my daughter on the bus and through lines. Anything else we had her in the stroller. We only went for 4 days and by the last day my back was starting to bother me (but I also have minor back issues) So I would suggest having that stroller too. But it really paid off to have my daughter in her ergo cause we had our son too so I could have the kids and my husband had the stroller when loading and unloading.

 

[Jester6]

I love baby wearing at home. Was really disappointed as someone stole my baby carrier out of the stroller the last time we were there. I thought about bringing another thin, lightweight bag to put the carrier in when we do not need it to hide it. FYI.

 

[allysetraskos]

I wore my 15 mo old last trip in my ergo, I front carried on all rides and was never told to take him off.
I wore him on my back in things like fantasmic, philharmagic / voyage of little mermaid.
No issues ever... Make sure you bring your hood if its not already attached, it comes in so handy when they fall asleep! Maybe also attach some toys.

 

[star72232]

I think my only concern would be the temps in Oct in FL with an insert in the Ergo. That makes it really, really hot. If you have a local babywearing group, see if they have a gauze wrap you can try. It will be a lot cooler, and still very supportive. Having someone teach you how to wrap is helpful to make sure you have good positioning, although you can learn with YouTube videos. Many woven wraps will also be cooler, because you can wrap with only one layer of fabric, but gauze is ideal with a small baby in hot temps.

 

[kboo]

Hopefully October will be cooler - that newborn insert gets HOT! We took our 2nd with a Boba (no insert, slightly lighter, carries newborns slightly differently) when she was 3 and 4 months old in early 2016. She did great - we got little Baby Banz to protect her ears and made it to many fireworks shows. She slept through dinners, napped when she needed to, etc. Enforcement about taking the baby out is indeed spotty - my DH rode TSMM with her sleeping in the carrier (!!) and another time they told me to take her out while she was sleeping (so I just walked around instead). She rode most rides at MK in the carrier. Most meals she was in the carrier too. It was honestly a lot easier than our recent trip at 21 months where she wanted to walk or wouldn't sit in her seat for meals...

If you're really concerned about the heat with the newborn insert (we had an ergo also, it was too hot with the insert even in winter), consider buying used or borrowing a boba, which clips etc the same way as an ergo. We also had a wrap and a sling but I could never get the hang of it. My YDD was born at under 7 lbs at 39w and was able to go in the boba right away. I get that a premature baby may have different issues even at the same weight, but hopefully at 2-3 months he'll be a little stronger.

 

[Expiry]

Since you'll be using the infant insert, I'd suggest getting a frogg togg (or other branded) cooling rag. It helps us stay cool during the summers when baby wearing. I'd also suggest as some others have at looking into taking another carrier that doesn't require an insert, like a ring sling, since you said your baby is smaller than the average 3 month old. If I were you, I'd look to see if there was a local babywearing international (https://babywearinginternational.org/chapters/). You can "check out" one of the carriers from their lending library for a month. That way you're able to try it on and see if you like it before going on your trip with it. I'm not affiliated with them, but have done this before myself for a trip.

 

[Momof3WDW]

I have taken each of my first 3 children early in their lives (DS was 6wks, DD1 was 4 months, DD2 was 6wks, and DD3 will be 7 months when we go in Dec 17). I baby wore all of them and the only time I was asked to take the baby out of the carrier was my 4 month old on the carousel to ride on a horse. With the newborns I automatically sat in the sled so no issue keeping the baby in the carrier. The newborns were obviously facing me and I never had anyone ask me to take the baby out or turn them around. As long as there isn't a height restriction you won't have an issue riding with the baby in the carrier.
Definitely have a Frog Togg towel, we got them last year and I wish I had them way before then!
Make sure you have a hat for baby or a light blanket to cover their head. I actually draped a light receiving blanket over the baby so their arms and legs didn't get burned either. This also helped when we went into indoor shows or rides as the AC was then freezing.
My youngest (just turned 3 months old) she has acid reflux and I put a spit rag under her head between me and her under the carrier. This is help save your clothes as they won't want to smell like baby spit all day. I also brought extra spit rags as they got yucky I switched them out.
October should still be pretty warm, so I would plan on keeping baby in a onsie. That will help with overheating. You could do leg warmers instead of pants, so you can put them on or take them off easier than pants. Then having the light receiving blanket for covering up in the AC.
Have fun!

 

[DisneyMomma1216]

I love baby wearing at home. Was really disappointed as someone stole my baby carrier out of the stroller the last time we were there. I thought about bringing another thin, lightweight bag to put the carrier in when we do not need it to hide it. FYI.

Ugh. I am so sorry someone stole your carrier!

 

[DisneyMomma1216]

Thank you everyone for your responses! It definitely helps, more than you know! I had another question - I plan on pretty much wearing my son right out of our hotel room. If you wore your baby on the way to the parks, how was it when you got to the security checkpoints? Will I have to take him out? I'm assuming I will automatically have to go through the detectors?

 

[margot31]

Thank you everyone for your responses! It definitely helps, more than you know! I had another question - I plan on pretty much wearing my son right out of our hotel room. If you wore your baby on the way to the parks, how was it when you got to the security checkpoints? Will I have to take him out? I'm assuming I will automatically have to go through the detectors?

I had no problems. I was never asked to take my daughter off. But at this point I can't remember if I even went through a detector....if I did nothing triggered.