Last week my family took their first trip to Disney World and not to sound cliche but it was MAGICAL! The boys are still young and we had a bunch of other things planned for our trip so we dedicated a day to Magic Kingdom and we got their EARLY. I think being from New York none of us were prepared for the intensity that is … the Florida HEAT. When you’re a nursing mama, that amount of heat means your baby is going to want to nurse WAY WAY more than usual and I KINDA was prepared but I just wanna give the breastfeeding moms a few tips so that you’re more prepared than I am.
5 Tips for Breastfeeding at Disney World
Know The Park
With a place that is as huge as Disney that seems impossible but for real, I’m telling you… utilize those maps! It makes it so much easier when you know where you’re going, when you’re going to be stopping, and what you’re going to be doing. Everyone will be way less aggravated if you don’t feel like you’re wandering aimlessly. You can easily access maps to any of Disney’s parks HERE and you can filter it by activity, age, thrill level etc etc.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
More than you have ever hydrated before! ESPECIALLY if you aren’t used to the southern heat because neither I nor my kids were prepared. Keeping yourself hydrated will help you with milk production and you’ll be able to keep your baby hydrated. Also, if you’re nursing a toddler realize they are HOT and that is why they’re nursing like a newborn again. It’s perfectly OK to give your toddler water, they NEED it. The great thing about Disney is that there are water fountains a plenty and you can ask for a cup of water at any concession stand.
Utilize the Baby Care Centers
Each park has a Baby Care Center that is perfect for moms with little ones. Each center has an air conditioned seating area, space to nurse, pump, changing stations and any supplies that you may have forgotten when you were in a rush to leave your hotel room. These rooms are perfect for taking a break from the beautiful chaos. And you can cool off while you tend to baby. Make sure you familiarize yourself with where the centers are located in each park, and don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Ditch the Nursing Cover
Or use a very very very lightweight cover. Trust me when I say…. it’s too hot for all that. The fight to cover Zayn alone would result in us losing 20 pounds each from sweating. Nursing two kids for over a year I’ve come up with all kinds of discreet and quick ways to nurse without drawing attention to us. And honestly this far into the game, I don’t care anyway. Plus, it’s a family park. I didn’t run have that fear that anyone was going to boob-shame me out there, if anyone even noticed.
Nurse on the Go
When all else fails, when your kids are in that long line waiting to ride It’s a Small World for the 5th time in a row, when the Baby Center feels like it’s 100 miles away, when your baby JUST CANT WAIT…. there are plenty of shaded areas where you can sit on a bench and peacefully nurse your little. There was plenty of seating near stroller parking areas and I nursed Zayn by a few. It wasn’t bad at all.
When the day came to an end I was super proud of my nursing experience at Disney. I didn’t once feel overwhelmed or confused and I kept things super simple. Knowledge is power so the more you know going into the parks, the better. Breastfeeding at Disney World definitely does not have to feel overwhelming. Remembering these 5 tips could make your day 10x better!
Have you been to Disney with your nursling? What was the experience like for you?
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