Are you planning a Disney World trip while still nursing? Breastfeeding at Disney is relatively easy, but the unknowns can be overwhelming if you don’t have all the information you need.
The good news:
I’ve been to Disney countless times over the years- but lately it’s been with breastfed kiddos in tow. If you’ve breastfed for more than a few days, you know that each stage of breastfeeding has its own unique set of “rules”. Like newborns tend to cluster feed, and toddlers tend to graze all day.
The even better news is that you can continue to breastfeed at Disney, just like you did at home (SNS, pumping, combo feeding etc) with some simple modifications.
NOTE FOR MOMS: if you are leaving baby at home and wanting to continue to breastfeed by pumping, skip to the last few tips. (Yes, this is VERY common, just plan ahead so you don’t have any mishaps!)
First things first, Disney is extremely breastfeeding friendly. So if you feel like whipping the boob out whenever and wherever, do your thing! If you are more modest, that’s cool too, and Disney has accommodated you!
I wanted to talk about helpful tips for breastfeeding because sometimes you need a little preplanning. While the act of nursing is the same- the new environment and the foods and the travel can make for an interesting breastfeeding relationship.
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Common Questions Answered
Before we get into some for making Nursing at Disney World easy, we need to address some common questions!
Can I bring my breast pump to Disney World and Pump there?
Yes! You can bring your breast pump- I’ll cover more towards the end of this post about where to pump and tips for storing your milk.
Does the Baby Care Center cost anything?
No! The facilities are free to use. If you need to purchase some of the products they have available (like medication, diapers, sunscreen) they do have a price tag. You can see the full details about the Baby Care Center.
Are there places to nurse in private behind a closed door?
Yes, Disney provides Nursing Rooms at Every Park in the Baby Care Center. These are on the map and aer decently easy to find. ALL of the baby care centers are on the left side of the parks when you enter from the main entrance (and everyone but hollywood studios is in the middle of the park)
If you are visiting the resorts however, there are not breastfeeding designated rooms.
If you go many of the other places in Orlando (the malls, the science center, the other amusement parks, target) there are nursing rooms at those locations.
There are NO breastfeeding rooms at Disney World Water Parks- typhoon lagoon and blizzard beach.
Let’s talk about the locations at Disney Springs!
You can find the location there at the visitor center towards the left center of Disney Springs. inside is an office (no label on the door) where you can nurse your baby. It does have windows (that I couldn’t figure out how to close!)
Tips, Tricks, and Hacks for Successful Breastfeeding at Disney World
Disney World is very family friendly so lots of nursing moms bring their babies to the parks! The best way to have a successful breastfeeding time at Disney is to plan ahead.
NUMBER 1 Super IMPORTANT tip- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
My husband is a firefighter in central florida. He will be the first to tell you, that many people pass out and get sick because of dehydration.
He will also tell you, that he knows some Disney Firefighters and they will say the same thing. They deal with it multiple times every single day, sometimes in the summer they are treating upwards of 30+ people in a day.
Don’t do that to yourself or your baby. Hydrate as much as possible and nurse nurse nurse those babies (especially under 6 months) because they are trying to deal with the heat change and schedule change as well.
Get a water bottle and make sure you keep track of how much you drink. I love this one because its stainless steel and insulated so it keeps my water cool. Tumbler type cups are nice- but get one with a lid that seals! It’s not uncommon to drink more than a gallon a day while at Disney. You are moving and the weather is different!
You will want a lid for several reasons! For one, you need to close up the stroller on the transportation buses and trams. For two, animal kingdom does not give out straws. And for three, bugs. It’s Florida.
Try to plan to Breastfeed in the carrier
My favorite Disney hack. This is very useful and mostly discreet.
It can be done anywhere and most people wont even notice. Sometimes I throw a onesie over my exposed breast and then you really can’t tell what I’m doing. Plus, then you can nurse baby to sleep, which is so useful at Disney because they are so distracted!
I’ve gone with a few different carriers and I love them all! An Ergo 360 is great for newborns and a Lillebaby airflow is a MUST have for comfort and coolness (its made of mostly mesh!) And a Lillebaby Toddler for my bigger kids. Also! Lillebaby has a super cute Disney collection that makes the carriers that much more fun!
Some of the budget friendly carriers (like Infantino or Baby Bjorn) are not easy to breastfeed in, so check out the ones I posted above, or look at youtube videos to see which one might fit your needs! There are plenty of BST on Facebook where you could score a carrier for your trip, It is a must have accessory.
Learn The Pros and Cons of Babywearing at Disney World
If you use a cover, make sure it is super breathable
Florida is HOT and humid. It is seriously sticky! There are a few places in each park that have benches and shade, but you might not be the first person there (if there is any room to begin with!)
If you like using a cover, make sure it is the most breathable one you can find, like a muslin blanket. I recommend this one here. I also recommend setting up a small fan- it works double duty when you aren’t nursing. You won’t regret having it!
Most importantly, schedule sit down meals for lunch if you can. Quick Service areas aren’t always air conditioned, and it’s also possible that the air conditioned sections will be full! If you need some A/C (like going in the summer) please think ahead when planning your meals and keeping cool.
The Baby Care Centers have breastfeeding rooms
Is baby too distracted? Too hot? Is mom needing a quiet place? Are you an exclusive pumper? The baby care centers have dedicated breastfeeding rooms. Find them on the map or the app and get that milk flowing!
If you ‘tube feed’ baby your breastmilk or baby has some specific needs, the staff at the Baby Care Center is SO helpful. Seriously, they might be the nicest people in the park. My son has some allergies so when he was younger I always relied on the staff to help me with specific questions.
Don’t let your baby go hungry
Above all, assume that baby is hungry. You are in a weird place, weird food, weather changes, sleep changes. You might experience some cluster feeding, or a weird latch, or you might turn into a milk machine. Things will go back to normal once you get home, I promise! If you want to be successful at breastfeeding the worst thing you can do is introduce formula.
Bring a manual pump- Just in Case!
Do you have dreams of hiring a baby sitter at Disney and sneaking off? (yes, Disney has babysitters available for hire!!!!!!) Are you going with some family members that might want to take baby so you can have a few hours of alone time? Are you an exclusive pumper?
BRING a manual pump! Seriously, please just do this. It will be so much better to know that you have it and not need it, then NEED IT AND NOT HAVE IT.
My first would get so distracted at Disney that I would be forced to pump at the park just to get some relief, then nurse him for an hour when we got back to the resort. I am SO thankful I had the medela manual pump available to take the edge off.
Are you an exclusive pumper? Leaving Baby at home? Do you need to combo feed?
I would consider, at least for the trip, a hands free wearable breast pump. And if you already have one, make sure to bring it with you! You can pump while eating your meals and during some of the (non-ride) based attractions.
I was an EP’er for a few months with my first and my other tips is to BRING EXTRA. Bring extra everything because you don’t want to stop your trip to run to the store for something.
If you are a combo feeder- the baby care center will be your best friend! You can prepare bottles there, make food there, and have room to breastfeed/pump while taking care of baby.
Storing Milk
I recommend bringing a collapsible cooler with lots and lots of ice packs! There is no fridge AT THE PARKS to store pumped milk at Disney. Most of the rooms have a small fridge, and you can ask for a room with a fridge for a medical accommodation.
Pumping Schedule
Follow breastmilk best practices, you know that fresh milk can stay at room temp for several hours, so use that to your advantage- especially at night. I would recommend pumping in the morning before the parks. A cooler for the mid morning and early afternoon pump. Then go back to the hotel- drop off the milk and then pump later that night (without a cooler) and just throw the milk in your bag for putting in the fridge later.
*****DON’T THROW AWAY YOUR MILK*****
Have more than you need? Get in touch with ‘Eats on Feets‘ or ‘Human Milk for Human Babies Central Florida‘ (or La Leche League Orlando) to donate your milk. Lot’s of parents in this area would be so grateful if you can’t take it home!
Do you have a baby that can’t tolerate certain foods?
All three of my kids have had FPIES (originally we thought they had MSPI) and Disney World is our safe place to eat and play! You can discover lots of allergy advice and tips for doing disney with dietary restrictions for you or your kids.
Conclusion
As a Mom that’s breastfed three babies (and combo fed the first born) at Disney World, I can tell you that it works and it’s doable (and I want to say easy, but don’t want to jinx myself!).
This is especially true if you plan ahead, feel comfortable and know the best places to go.
Please let me know if you have any questions, drop me a comment below! Send me an email or reach out on Social Media! I love helping other Disney Moms enjoy their vacation.
Other Articles for Baby Care, Pregnancy and Toddlers at Disney World
The Best Rides for Infants, Toddlers and Pregnant Mommas at Disney World
Cloth Diapering- the Ultimate Disney Guide
Surviving Pregnancy at Disney World
So I just want to make sure it’s okay to go to the park with my pump and not my baby. We don’t want to expose our baby yet to the germs at Disney but we are going for not so scary and I’ll have to pump at least once. I called guest services and the woman said it’s not a prohibited item but security could say no. Thank you so much for the tips and information!
Hi Jessica! I’ve brought my manual pump and my electric pump to every park in the last year without concern from security. I do think the manual pump might be easier because it’s clear, and you can find a quiet place to pump without going to the Baby Care Center to use electricity. The baby care center is open till midnight, so you can always go there to pump in the nursing room in private if you want to do that instead. I’ve pumped at two of the halloween parties this year already- you are in good company!
Thank you so much for this. We are planning a trip and combo feeding right now and your article reminded me of several ways to make things easier. Took a load off my mind!