Official Breast Feeding Support Thread for WDW Parks

[EPCOTgrl1]

Did any of you use nursing tops or just regular shirts and tank tops?

I used both on my nursing trip and I liked the shirt/tank top combo the best.

 

[jkstewart1800]

bumping for others to find!

 

[ryansstitch]

That's a clever combination. I personally was never able to get coordinated enough for it and found I was uncomfortable and awkward with the 2 tops. Sometimes I do use a cute scarf to cover if my clothes won't be as discreet as I'd like. It also has the added benefit of making it look like I actually put some thought into building my outfit for the day!

 

[nycdisneygal]

So had an easy trip last week of March with my now 4 month old! Nursed her on many benches, in restaurants too. Used a nursing cover. I actually liked nursing her in the baby care centers as well (Hollywood studios has the worst one!) and then diaper changing was easy there too. i used the Medela handpump a couple times so that she would have milk on hand in case she got too hungry after I had a cocktail. The pump was great. Got about 4 ounces in 10 minutes...Wore a few nursing tops and then just some loose tops.

 

[jkstewart1800]

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/52/d6/eb/52d6eb71f41a0fea6cd14ccfeb3fd570.jpg

have you guys seen these? Man if they had been around when I was nursing, it would have been awesome!

 

[Grace W]

I have honestly never had an issue BF at WDW. We mainly used the baby care centers or just found a cooler place to go and faced a corner. People don't even notice. I mean you are at the happiest place on earth, so many other things to look at !

 

[jkstewart1800]

It's true that WDW is a very family friend BF place, but new moms or experienced moms who are new to WDW usually come to this thread for advice on where to BF in the parks, or how the Baby Centers/resorts handle milk storage and pumping etc....

 

[kboo]

In case there are any new or new-to-WDW nursing moms - here's a summary of my BF experience with a 3 month old and then a 4 month old (same kid, 2 trips):

In March and even April, it was not too hot to do the nursing tank under a T-shirt combo. I also had a couple of dresses that had a pull-up/aside panel, and these I wore with just nursing pads underneath, when it was hotter. I found they were the most discreet, since I don't use a cover, but pulling up the t-shirt and unlatching the nursing tank was easier.

It was not this dress, but had a front panel similar to it: http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/produ.../www.oldnavy.com/products/nursing-dresses.jsp

Anyway, we didn't use any of the baby centers; instead, I just tried to find quiet shaded benches or rides to nurse on. Many rides and shows are rather loud, and YDD is easily distracted, but we nursed on these rides:

MK: Small world, people mover, carousel of progress, Hall of Presidents, on benches and along walls near the Mad Tea Party, at the junction of Tomorrowland and Fantasyland, shady tables near Gaston's tavern
HS: Indiana Jones Show, in the shade near the exit to Tower of Terror, in the shade across from Rock n Roller Coaster
EP: (best for NIP!) - Spaceship Earth, the France movie, benches in China, benches in the play area after Test Track, and my favorite, a bench under a tree after you exit The Seas, it's way to the left and no one even looks in that direction when they leave the building.
AK: I'm sure there were good places to nurse, but the Lion King show was a little loud (though we made it work) and the shady area watching Everest a little crowded. We didn't spend too much time there.

DD also tended to get tired and want to nurse around dinner time, so we'd bring the carrier and I'd nurse her at dinner and then we'd put her in the boba and she'd fall asleep usually until we got back to the hotel and took her out and changed her for bed. Also she's slept through fireworks at MK, EP and HS - just got ear protection (baby Banz) and put her in the carrier and walked around.

Things I wouldn't recommend but ended up doing in a pinch:
I was never very good at nursing in a boba but I had to go to guest relations at MK to get a charge taken care of on our last night. Baby was fussing and screaming, I was wearing the old navy dress, so I nursed her, out of desperation, in the boba. After being done at guest relations around 8:30 pm and YDD was screaming again and not willing to nurse in the boba. I unhooked the boba, got her into cradle position, and walked out of MK and all the way back to BLT nursing. It was not easy and it wasn't all that pleasant, but with the baby quiet no one even noticed; it looked more like I was carrying a sleeping baby, and that was better than a screaming baby. That said, not something I will do again!

At BLT we had a full size fridge and a freezer, and I brought milk storage bags and a flat insulated bag, froze all the pumped milk and put it in checked baggage, it stayed frozen until we got home. This last trip at GF I didn't pump as much, but we had a super cold fridge in our room that froze my milk anyway.

 

[jkstewart1800]

Awesome! Thanks for all the tips!

 

[bellasmomRN]

I specifically held off weaning my 18 month old until after our trip to Disney this last February. I knew in a pinch I could put him in the Ergo, BF and drape a light blanket over it and he would go to sleep. I do not regret it at all! It was so great when he was over stimulated and needed a break. We mostly nursed wherever we were at all over the parks. We did check out the baby centers but only so I could plug in his nebulizer, and I only knew they had outlets for sure from this site. Found out we are expected #3 on our last day so we officially weaned two days after getting home.

 

[jkstewart1800]

I have found more often than not, that because it is such a family place and because so many other people are so busy with their own kiddos that no one really pays a lick of attention to BF moms!

 

[pixie08]

There is also a Facebook page called Disney Breastfeeding princesses if anyone wants more info/pics etc.

 

[jkstewart1800]

Cool!

 

[Kidztheater]

I'm so happy to have found this thread. I'm taking my son next month at 8 months old and I'm looking for quiet places with AC. He gets so sweaty in the heat and so distracted. I don't like to use a cover, but I do wear the two shirts. I live in NYC so it's no problem, but I do get worried about FL.

 

[kurleq1432]

Last year I was breastfeeding my then 14 week old son on our Disney vacation and I have to say that I have never been more comfortable to nurse in public. The baby care centers are great but I think I used them more to benefit myself than the little guy. I nursed in line while waiting to meet Mickey, outside Captain EO while DH and ODS were inside, on the Nemo ride and pretty much at every restaurant we ate at. The people that travel to WDW are from all over the world and in most places breastfeeding is the norm. I would wear a tank (the cheap ones from old navy have a good stretch to them) and I would wear loose fitting t-shirts over them. It was really a great experience and I think I worried myself sick over it before we left. YDS is just about to turn 14 months old so we will see if he is still nursing when we go back in November. I can imagine it might be a little more hectic with a crazy toddler.

 

[MommyPoppins]

Last year I was breastfeeding my then 14 week old son on our Disney vacation and I have to say that I have never been more comfortable to nurse in public. The baby care centers are great but I think I used them more to benefit myself than the little guy. I nursed in line while waiting to meet Mickey, outside Captain EO while DH and ODS were inside, on the Nemo ride and pretty much at every restaurant we ate at. The people that travel to WDW are from all over the world and in most places breastfeeding is the norm. I would wear a tank (the cheap ones from old navy have a good stretch to them) and I would wear loose fitting t-shirts over them. It was really a great experience and I think I worried myself sick over it before we left. YDS is just about to turn 14 months old so we will see if he is still nursing when we go back in November. I can imagine it might be a little more hectic with a crazy toddler.

Dark rides/shows are great for nursing toddlers. They are so easily distracted!

At MK we always sit up in the counter service restaurant that everyone walks through to get from the hub to tomorrowland. There are usually very few people there(that place is never open when we go) and even though it's open air, there is AC so it's not as hot.

I also uses the baby care center once so he would nurse undistracted.

 

[kurleq1432]

Dark rides/shows are great for nursing toddlers. They are so easily distracted!

At MK we always sit up in the counter service restaurant that everyone walks through to get from the hub to tomorrowland. There are usually very few people there(that place is never open when we go) and even though it's open air, there is AC so it's not as hot.

I also uses the baby care center once so he would nurse undistracted.

Right now he is only nursing 2-3 times a day. Right before bed, if he wakes up in the middle of the night at all and right when he wakes up in the morning. If he is still nursing then, I think the only time I will have to nurse him in the parks would be any night we decide to stay late. At that point we will have the benefit of darkness.

 

[cyneswith]

Can we get non-WDW support here? 'Cause nursing aversion hit hard day before yesterday. Like I ended up tearing at my breasts to get the creepy-crawly feeling to go away (I stopped before I broke the skin, but it was HARD to stop), and I had to ice my nipples to be able to feed her to sleep. I got NO sleep. Basically back to normal the next morning after a cup of coffee, but I know from experience it'll crop back up. Not sure if she's in a growth spurt or if I'm not making as much this week, but she's been nursing like mad. I meant to not do any mother-led weaning until she was 2, but if it gets like this on a frequent basis... I will physically have to so I don't tear myself up. My son mostly self-weaned 2 months after turning 2, since I was pregnant and my supply was dwindling (I never intended to tandem nurse, so I let it happen and didn't let him start back up after he'd gone 48 hours without of his own accord.) So nursing aversion, may have to stop before either of us are completely ready, cluster feeding at 1 year old... If I mention it to my mom, she'll say how ridiculous it is to still be nursing at all. If I mention it to my mom friends, they'll tell me to suck it up and let her self wean (in nicer words).

 

[Mama22311jea]

I used both on my nursing trip and I liked the shirt/tank top combo the best.

I got a shirt just for this trip its a baby carier shirt

 

[Imagineer5]

I have been a few times with a nursling, the last time was on a 12-night trip with my then 8 week old. I nursed in the Moby wrap (in a pinch, when we had to be on the go). I carried around (thank you stroller) a travel nursing pillow that I used almost exclusively. As much as I like the BCC, I didn't use them much as it was much easier to just find a bench and nurse her wherever we were.

For my own sanity, I pumped many mornings after the first feeding, in order to make a bottle for her next feeding which always seemed to land around 8:30AM - right in the middle of breakfast. This worked out really well (and a freshly pumped bottle didn't need to be refrigerated) and I was able to hand off the baby to DH to feed. I did this a few times with dinner ADR's too.

I mainly wore nursing shirts or combo shirt/tank, but the travel nursing pillow covered my tummy well and I used a cover too.

I don't think I nursed on any rides, as they are pretty short and DD was so young that she would eat for 20-30 minutes at a time lol!