I have 7 kids, ages 12, 9, 7, 5, 5, 2, and 1 month. So every year we go to an amusement park for two days and one night. This year, we still wanted to go. I asked the dr at his one month checkup, and he said it would be fine, as long as we kept him well hydrated, and in the shade. We aren't planning on taking him on more then a few rides, and only if they are ones where my hubby or I can safely and easily hold him. We are planning on bringing our stroller so we can put his carseat in it. He will easily sleep in it, and we can put the sun shade up. We will also have his diaper bag, and all of the extra stuff like extra clothes, bottles etc.
We didn't go with our two year old when she was a newborn, because she was sick. And we weren't going when the 5 year olds were newborns, and we have no experience taking newborns. It sounds ok with the dr, and our plans, but does anybody have any other advice or ideas? It would be appreciated. Thanks so much!
why not?
i wouldn't take a newborn on ANY rides.
but a baby certainly wouldn't be a reason to stop family fun.
have a great time!
:) khairete
S.
Sounds like you are pretty well prepared.
The only thing I most certainly WOULD NOT do would be to get on a ride with a newborn. That's just asking for trouble. I would think most parks would not allow a newborn on rides due to liability issues.
If you want to ride rides, have someone watch the baby while you ride.
My third child took her first trip to Disneyland at 17 days. She went to the San Diego Comic Book Convention at 6 weeks. She went to LEGOLAND before she was 6 weeks old. She went to a 4th of July party at 20-odd days old. Pretty sure she took one of her first trips to the Zoo before those 6 weeks too. I had 2 older boys that were going stir crazy and I didn't want to be in the house either.
Use common since.
She stayed in her stroller or a ring sling or our arms. I had a changing mat large enough to cover the whole space on the changing table or would put the mat and change her in the stroller in a corner. We didn't use an infant car seat and instead had a stroller where the seat could lie down completely flat. She could stretch out and not get overheated.
I was nursing so I didn't have to worry about bottles, formula, or keeping anything clean. She didn't have a pacifier to worry about either.
My midwife knew we were out and about as much as we were and gave us her blessing and told us to have fun.
We didn't over do it. I would take extra rest breaks while my husband and the boys would keep running on then double back to me.
Figured I'd be sitting and nursing her anyway, why not somewhere more entertaining than my living room.
Go have fun! You will have a great time!
You know what, these places will absolutely NOT allow you to take the baby on rides!! Seriously, they won't. Even if they did (they won't, except maybe a carousel type of ride) please don't, it's not safe or wise. Take the newborn, but use your common sense and skip the rides.
don't take a newborn on a ride. I agree with previous poster that you should bring someone extra with you perhaps a grandparent or good friend. with that many people you are going to have at least 2 rooms anyway so one more person should not matter. But with a 1 month old and a 2 year old your not going to have any fun on this adventure. the older kids are going to want to take off and do rides and 2 5 year olds will have you going in 2 directions. My own personal advice would be to get a sitter to stay at the hotel with the 2 younger ones and just take the older kids on this adventure. better yet would be to have the 2 younger ones to stay with grandma and grandpa for the night.
I want to say to all of you saying go for it take the baby. she is not taking "A" baby. she is taking a new born a 2 year old 2 5yr olds, a 7, a 9 and a 12 that is count them 7 children to 2 adults. that's not enough adults to adequately take care of that many little ones at a theme park and still enjoy the rides etc. its not a matter of hey I took my "1" 3 mo old to disney. its not the same. while yes you can take a new born to those places how can you take care of said new born when you have a 2 yr old and 2 five year olds running around not to mention the other 3 kids? just not a good plan.
I've been taking my daughter to Disney World since she was 5 weeks old. I have a black UV shade i got from babiesrus that completely covers the front of the stroller as well as a stroller fan. I made sure to take a break once an hour or so to nurse, because its Florida and it was hot. So now at 18m my daughter is a Disney pro!
Added: at Disney a baby can go on any ride with no height restrictions, like haunted mansion, dumbo, small world ect
I took my second son everywhere and anywhere we would normally go when he was a newborn. We even went to an amusement park, and I did take him on a couple of really tame rides. (We went on a little train that goes around the park, a tin lizzy car ride and we sat on the bench on the carousel.) I nursed, so I could do that anywhere and anytime. He had his stroller to sleep in and I had everything else I needed in the diaper bag. My husband was there to go on rides with my other son who was three and needed an adult with him on many of the bigger rides.
Good for you I was so sleep deprived and worn out from the pregnancy there was no way in heck I would attempt an amusement park.
Who is going to watch the baby while you ride a ride? There is no ride I would feel comfortable in riding - Ferris wheel or otherwise - that would be safe.
Sure - walk around the park with a baby in a stroller or in a sling...but really? Do NOT take an infant on a ride.
I am of the adage that we didn't let our children stop us from doing things...or going places...but really - a one month old to an amusement park? I don't see the fun in that.
Where there is a will - there is a way - so if you really want to make this happen, you will find a way to make it work.
Good luck!
I can't imagine ANY amusement park would allow an infant on ANY ride! Just think of the legal ramifications of doing that.
Other than that, make sure you are BOTH properly hydrated and take breaks often. I'd skip the carseat and just have him lay flat in the stroller so he can stretch out and not be so cramped. Just bring a lightweight blanket to drape over the sun shade and make sure he's totally in the shade.
Have fun!!
We took our 3week old to Disneyland. Go for it!. I just want to add that at Disneyland there are many rides you can go on with an infant including Astroblasters, Jungle Cruise, and small world. Not sure about where you are going, but I'm sure you'll be fine. Don't be deterred by the naysayers.
We took our dd to Silver Dollar City when she was pretty little, about 4 or 5 months. We did NOT take her on any rides, that doesn't make any sense. We wore her in a front carrier when we went into the Marvel Cave, and most of the rest of the time she was napping in her stroller. There really was no reason we all had to go on the ride at the same time, and at least at SDC, there is a policy where if you wait in line to the front, one of you can ride the ride, and as soon as the other one is done, you can trade off the baby and get right on, not have to wait in line again.
Go for it. I took my daughter to festivals and such when she was a newborn. I had a front-carrier that she rode in, and I just made sure to keep her cool.
The infant will not care about the rides and if you do that you'll have the only other parent guarding an empty stroller which is tough with other kids who want to do stuff. I have taken infants to amusement parks. They love napping in the stroller and being held from time to time like anywhere else. The challenge is that one of you will have to be with stroller/infant at all times, so that leaves one parent for all other kids (two year old will need strolling too if you stay long) which you already know. If you and hubs are up for it, go for it! It will work out. Just take it slow and be flexible on leaving if things get shaky.
I wouldn't for several reasons, but that's just me. I was a bit shocked to read that you plan on taking him on a few rides! What? How is that safe and do they even allow you to hold a baby on a ride???? If I brought a newborn to an amusement park or waterpark, I would be on the sidelines with the baby while keeping an eye on everyone else.
Take a family member with you. Maybe mom or MIL. They can stay at the hotel in the heat of the afternoon with the baby while you guys go spend a few hours with the older kids and have a blast. This baby does not need to ride any rides....
I think that you should take him in the morning and do stuff a family can do together. Then get a break from the baby for at least 3-4 hours. Then you go to the hotel for a break too. After dinner everyone can go back to do stuff again. Mom/MIL can go both morning and evening and do the family a huge favor by giving mom an afternoon break.
It sounds like you've covered your bases, so I might give it a shot! The only suggestion I would have is to corral a teenage (cousin maybe?) or an adult to go along with you as an extra set of eyes, ears and hands!
Good luck and hope you have a great time!
I'd try to bring an extra adult in case the kids need supervision while one parent is tending to the baby. And like everyone else, I'd skip the rides with a baby...
Just be prepared to do a lot of sitting out. It does suck some to go with a newborn, but it's doable.
