A Guide to Breastfeeding and Pumping at Disney World
A Guide to Breastfeeding and Pumping at Disney World
Know the Law
that if you have a right to be somewhere (i.e. you aren’t trespassing), then you have the right to feed your child there. It is at your discretion to cover up and you do NOT have to nurse your child in a bathroom. I am quite modest and didn’t want to flash anyone during the transition to feed the baby, so I invested in a nursing scarf. This was my favorite: the infinity nursing scarf. Some of you are probably much better at this, so again, use your own discretion here.Know Before You Go
Now that you know it’s perfectly legal and ok to breastfeed/nurse at Disney World, there are some other important things to note. In my opinion, the most important thing you can do before going on any vacation is to become familiar with where you are going. Check out the airport before you leave or scope out the rest areas on your drive. MCO has some great breastfeeding and pumping pods that make it easy to feed an active eater or pump in a bit of privacy.
Also, really get to know the parks before you leave. Study those maps well and know where your top three rides are located. Then map out where they are in proximity to Baby Care Centers or the rides and attractions that are best for nursing/pumping (those blogs are coming soon). You never know when you will have a hungry baby and we all know a hungry baby quickly progresses to a mad baby.
Baby Care Centers
About those Baby Care Centers… These havens have great air conditioning and dedicated rooms for nursing mothers. They even have places to pump! You can also change diapers here, heat up water for formula or baby food, and even watch a movie with older siblings to give them a break if they are suffering from sensory overload (as my family calls it). Better yet, they have tons of items for sale that you may have forgotten to pack. This is the gold standard for the best place to feed or care for your baby while in the parks.
Pumping
If you are pumping, don’t forget to bring or purchase a portable battery for your pump. There aren’t a lot of outlets in some of the parks. A battery option will save you from being in agony while trying to find an outlet. If you need to save your milk for later, consider bringing a small cooler and ice/gel packs to keep the milk cool. When pumping, it’s a good idea to take a mid-day break so that you can take the milk back and place it in the mini fridge in your hotel.
Utilize Rider Switch
Also, make sure you have a good touring plan in mind. When you schedule Fastpass+ times, look for areas where you can nurse or chill out with the baby while the others ride. If you have an older child, utilize the rider switch option. I recommend nursing the baby while your partner takes the older child to ride. When they return from the Fastpass or stand-by line, hand the baby off for burping and play time, then redeem your rider swap ticket to ride with the older child.
Having a little brother or sister isn’t always rainbows and unicorns, but Disney really gives the older children a great benefit for all those sleepless nights. Rider switch let’s them ride twice so both parents can have a chance to enjoy the ride with their child. Rider switch is good for one adult and up to three additional guests. Find out more about Rider Switch HERE.
Quick Tip: Whoever rides first with the child must remember to ask for the Rider swap ticket at the first AND second kiosk where you scan your MagicBand. If you forget, you are out of luck and the other parent will have to wait all over again in the long line stand by line to ride with the child.
Manage Your Expectations
Remember that touring the parks is far different with little ones. Even when they aren’t nursing, it’s way different than touring with adults. The most important thing I did was tell myself that
this trip should be very laid back. I would encourage my husband and oldest son to go and enjoy rides and attractions together. I would focus mainly on paying attention to our baby’s queues for sleep, hunger, and attention.
In doing so, I was able to do more people watching and less walking (which actually made me quite happy). I planned to slow down and enjoy the place more than the rides. You know what? That mentality changed the way we tour completely. It was the best thing I ever did and we still apply that mentality now even though neither of our children is nursing.
We stop for parades and those fun little sidewalk shows and musicians that Disney has in droves. We no longer worry about riding as many rides as possible or rushing to that next Fastpass+ reservation. Instead, we stop and enjoy the magic around us and our vacations are so much better because of that. Regardless if you have a nursing infant, I encourage you to adopt this mentality. It’s amazing how much you miss when you are in a hurry to get to that next ride or attraction.
Quick Tips for Breastfeeding and Pumping at Disney World
- If you are flying into and out of MCO, look for the great Breastfeeding and Pumping Pods.
- Study those park maps so you know which rides and restaurants are closest to your FastPass+ choices
- Locate the Baby Care Centers in each park before you travel
- Utilize Rider Switch if you have an older child so that they don’t miss out on the fun
- Slow down and enjoy the moments
- If you are pumping, a portable battery is a must.
- If you are pumping and saving your milk, bring a small cooler and ice packs.
Tips
Grab our Essential Oil Blends For A Healthy Disney World Vacation! These blends help with any and every ailment you may have while on your Disney World vacation! Even better, right?!
A Guide to Breastfeeding and Pumping at Disney World
I hope A Guide to Breastfeeding and Pumping at Disney World helps my fellow mothers who are planning a Disney World trip with little ones. If you have questions or tips you think I should add, please comment below or join our amazing Facebook group. Disney Express Lane Facebook Group is the best place to discuss any Disney related topic and we would love to have your join us.
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