Pregnancy advice for a non-pregnant person

[Lynn57]

Hi everyone!

My best friend and her fiance are joining me for two days of my Disney trip! This is a first trip for both of them. I'm a "rope drop to Wishes (or Happily Ever After)" type park goer, but recognize my park touring will be totally dependent on my pregnant friend. I'd love some advice from anyone who has been pregnant in the parks, traveled with a pregnant partner, or just has any ideas! She will be about 15 weeks during our time in WDW.

I've already looked at the list of rides she CANNOT go on, but any rides you recommend for a group with a baby on the way?

Also, any tips for traveling to Disney with a pregnant friend? I want to make their first trip as magical as possible, even if roller coasters are out.

Thanks in advance!

 

[alex9179]

Let her guide the amount of activity. Her energy level can range from high to dragging. Suggest taking time for shows if it looks like she's flagging. Encourage plenty of liquids. Her appetite can be all over the map, too, but encourage snacking if it's low. Afternoon breaks from the heat are a good idea, too. Again, follow her lead.

I love the rides but, when I went with my motion-sickness afflicted mom, we spent most of our time taking in the little things. Exploring the nooks and enjoying the entertainment.

 

[wilkeliza]

Take it slow. If she tells you she needs shade/sit/to go back to the room don't get upset or make her feel bad or whatever. Her body is changing and supporting two lives now and only she knows how she feels and what she should do. Be aware that she may suddenly have food or smell aversions she has never had before. So someone who may have hated hot dogs suddenly loves them or loved say the smell of fresh baked goods may absolutely get sick by them.

Make sure water is always on hand just so it is easy to get if needed.

Have her talk to her doctor. I would say most roller coasters are out but things like Soarin and the Safari strongly suggest pregnant women not to ride but many OBGYN say that is silly. Remember rides that may seem tame are actually due to the e-stop. I.E. Test track is actually the same as driving in a convertible on the highway but if estop it is like slamming on the breaks going at 60 which is bad for a pregnant woman on the ride or in regular life. Same for rides with lap bars.

If she says she is fine waiting for you and her hubby to go ride a coaster believe her! Don't make her inability to ride a big deal if she says she is fine with you guys going on something with out her.

Perhaps to make it special buy them a gift for the baby. Baby Mickey ears, a onsie, whatever to mark your support for them. (unless of course this is against their wishes i.e. fiance doesn't buy anything for baby until baby is born due to his own superstitions)

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

When are you going? The heat is certainly going to affect her.

Maybe put more emphasis on the planning of meals? Make a reservation somewhere good that she can enjoy!

 

[tchris4]

I went to Disney last June when I was 6ish months pregnant. I had that good second trimester energy going, but we definitely went at my pace. We went back for naps every afternoon, which helped me a lot. While my friend rode the fun rides, I ate an ice cream. My friend was super hesitant leaving me, thinking I would be mad, but I urged and encouraged her to go on all the rides I could not.

I rode (with a big ole belly) Soarin and was fine. My OB said to use common sense, so I knew roller coasters were out. My sister in law went when she was pregnant and rode safari with no issues.

One of my friends went when she was pregnant and got physically ill on buzz lightyear, so be mindful that rides she may not normally have an issue with, could cause her some discomfort/nausea.

 

[peg110]

Let her and her Fiance go their own way if they want too.. It's a vacation for all of you. If they want to take an adventure (maybe on the Jungle Cruise) while You enjoy SDMT, then just have a plan to meet up. It's okay to do things separately as well as together.

 

[Accident]

gift her a small umbrella.. Not for the rain but for those times where she's resting and needs shade but can't get to it.. Makes a world of difference to get a few minutes of shade on your face when you need a break.

I also agree with let her lead, and don't be upset if they want to break away from everyone doing stuff. In fact encourage it and make her feel comfortable from the very first second you meet up that if she needs a break, more a/c, wants to do things slower or without you that she only needs to ask.. Some people get really anxious and over do what they are able too when they think they are ruining it for someone else.... A simple "Please don't hesitate to let us know when you need to slow down, want to do things without us or just need more breaks..".

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

Take it slow. If she tells you she needs shade/sit/to go back to the room don't get upset or make her feel bad or whatever. Her body is changing and supporting two lives now and only she knows how she feels and what she should do. Be aware that she may suddenly have food or smell aversions she has never had before. So someone who may have hated hot dogs suddenly loves them or loved say the smell of fresh baked goods may absolutely get sick by them.

Make sure water is always on hand just so it is easy to get if needed.

Have her talk to her doctor. I would say most roller coasters are out but things like Soarin and the Safari strongly suggest pregnant women not to ride but many OBGYN say that is silly. Remember rides that may seem tame are actually due to the e-stop. I.E. Test track is actually the same as driving in a convertible on the highway but if estop it is like slamming on the breaks going at 60 which is bad for a pregnant woman on the ride or in regular life. Same for rides with lap bars.

If she says she is fine waiting for you and her hubby to go ride a coaster believe her! Don't make her inability to ride a big deal if she says she is fine with you guys going on something with out her.

Perhaps to make it special buy them a gift for the baby. Baby Mickey ears, a onsie, whatever to mark your support for them. (unless of course this is against their wishes i.e. fiance doesn't buy anything for baby until baby is born due to his own superstitions)

^this. The danger lies with the sudden stops (either intentional or ones that may happen unexpectedly). DH (an OB) wouldn't let me ride Pirates while pregnant, solely bc of the abrupt slow down at the bottom of the hill.

Stay well hydrated (make use of the free water at CS locations). I loved having a TS meal a day (they were great for an air conditioned break). I also found myself resting a lot - the benches by Katsura Grill (I think that's the name) in EPCOT, the grassy areas at the HUB, benches in the walking trail at Ak, etc, all came in very handy.

 

[Hatwriter456]

Hydrate!

There is a lot that your friend can still do - I was skiing while I was pregnant. Your friend needs to talk to her doctor for her modifications.

My stomach had issues with greasy food when I was pregnant, but your friend will know what works for her and won't.

If she needs to lie down and rest/cool down have her go to first aid and she can rest there - or she can use the baby care centers.

Pace yourselves and have a great time!

 

[Robertfam08]

Luckily at 15 weeks she won't be dealing with a huge belly to lug around, and *hopefully* over any morning sickness if she has it...though it could be lingering or easily triggered still. Honestly, that would be the biggest bummer. My doctor told me to avoid the teacups, and I personally recommend avoiding TSMM. I made the mistake of riding that at a few months pregnant and was paranoid the whole time because I forgot how much you are whipped around. She should be entering into the more energized phased of pregnancy by then, so really there's no better time to go while pregnant! I would just agree with everyone else to let her set the pace and keep her hydrated. Also...plan the more leisurely day for the second day. She may feel great day one but wake up more tired than she realized on day two.

 

[Mainemama]

Know that she might appreciate an opportunity to sit out a ride that you and her fiancée want to try. My first trip was when I was pregnant, and I really enjoyed sitting and waiting while the rest of my party did the mountains. It was a chance to get off my feet, regroup, and people watch.

 

[Sundowner2]

I agree with what everyone else said, but also, if she's not able to do rope drop, maybe make a meeting place, say, like, text me when you are on the bus, and we will meet at X because some days she might be good, other days she might be so bad with morning sickness, she's moving slow. Mine went for the first 5 months. Lovely. Chances are she's going to need an extended rest in the afternoon, make sure she knows you don't mind a bit if she leaves for a few hours. She is expelling so much energy, and she's basically a human incubator, so will be much hotter, and tired quicker so she really needs to take it at her pace and drink a ton, for her sake and the baby's, and not get on any jerky rides! The baby might be small but a jolt could be enough to cause serious harm.

 

[MrsDuck]

DH and I went to WDW last weekend... I was 14 weeks pregnant. Honestly, the best advice I have is to just go slow and REST at the hotel. Like others said, hydrating is essential, too. It's exhausting and miserable otherwise.

We are Disney "regulars" so this may not be welcomed advice for someone who visits infrequently but take it for what you will: we went to a park in the morning/rope drop, rode a few attractions but did quite a bit of sitting/resting/people watching, went back to the resort after/around lunch, I took a 2-4 hour nap (seriously!!), then we went back to a park, ate dinner, and I was usually able to make it for fireworks/closing.

 

[Tink_83]

I was just there as a pregnant woman and recommend checking the list rides on-line through the Disney website in advance. You can filter for rides not recommend for pregnant women by looking at attractions and filtering for expectant mothers advisory under accessibility and advisories category. The Disney recommendations are going to be very strict to begin with so I wouldn't add to that list unless her OB is recommending it for some reason (i.e. high risk, etc.).

I'd recommend she looks over the list of attractions she wants to go on and prioritize a few of those since she will feel like there is a lot she can't do. Hydrate and I brought an extra pair of shoes to swap out with when my feet started to hurt a little with the ones I was wearing. Oh, I had a plan for what I would do while the others in my group were on roller coasters, typically I'd hit a ride that they were not doing or a favorite like Pirates an extra time... nothing is worse then feeling like you are being left out of the fun because of the baby. Also, since my mother doesn't like roller she went with me when the others were on the coasters so I'd say maybe someone could go with her and take turns so she is not left alone while everyone is on a coaster. Finally, everyone is different I did morning to close (not quite rope drop but we are not a rope drop family) but others may find that too much.

 

[dacky041208]

I was 26 weeks pregnant on our last trip...my advice is to make sure she puts her feet up whenever she can. My feet swelled so bad- all the walking, retaining water, the heat....lordy. my feet didn't swell until right after my first son was born (all the IV fluids), but with my second son, they ballooned like crazy only if i was on my feet a lot..aka my entire trip.

She may need a midday break too....i did. but i need them when i'm not pregnant

 

[LongLiveRafiki]

Obviously every pregnancy is different. If she is still having morning sickness, I would caution riding any spinning rides like the Teacups and even possibly Dumbo and the Carousel. Those last two would have done me in during my pregnancies. Also, possibly any sort of "simulator" type rides like Star Tours, FOP, and Soarin. Many pregnant women would probably be fine, but I could definitely see it being a terrible experience for those with motion sickness. Frequent snacks are important since blood sugar can drop quickly in many pregnant women. Some sort of cooling towel would probably be great to help with overheating. Skin during pregnancy can be super sensitive, so high SPF sunscreen applied frequently is a must. Get Memory Maker to capture all of those photos. If she has the beginnings of a bump, it might be cute for her to showcase that in some of them. I'm sure the Photopass cast members can help with getting some neat pics. There is a magic shot holding baby Simba that would be really cute. Get her a celebration button and have them write on it something along the lines of "Celebrating Pregnancy." Again, while every pregnancy is different, it's possible she might be able to tour all day if you take it at a slower pace and take in some of the shows like Philharmagic, Beauty and the Beast, etc. Anywhere she can sit down in the air conditioning for a little bit.

I hope you all have a wonderful trip!

 

[KrazeeK120]

I went to Disney at 15 weeks pregnant 2 years ago. It was Memorial Day weekend and was pretty hot. I was still dealing with some lingering nausea issues as well. I think the biggest thing is to stay hydrated, which is really something everyone should do anyway. I rode everything without a pregnancy warning (I think Soarin is the only E ticket ride that doesn't carry such a warning). If I were further along, I may have avoided some other rides just due to logistics, but I wasn't showing at all and was physically capable of climbing in and out of everything, no issues with lap bars, etc.

I was comfortable riding things alone while DH went on roller coasters, but I don't know how your friend feels about that. I did need to take more breaks than I had previously, but I really managed fine. As long as your friend is having a healthy pregnancy, she should still be able to participate in a lot of things.

 

[Shanti]

Hi everyone!

My best friend and her fiance are joining me for two days of my Disney trip! This is a first trip for both of them. I'm a "rope drop to Wishes (or Happily Ever After)" type park goer, but recognize my park touring will be totally dependent on my pregnant friend. I'd love some advice from anyone who has been pregnant in the parks, traveled with a pregnant partner, or just has any ideas! She will be about 15 weeks during our time in WDW.

I've already looked at the list of rides she CANNOT go on, but any rides you recommend for a group with a baby on the way?

Also, any tips for traveling to Disney with a pregnant friend? I want to make their first trip as magical as possible, even if roller coasters are out.

Thanks in advance!

Focus on non-roller coaster experiences. There are plenty. Many of the best rides at Disney are low-impact (Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Small World, Spaceship Earth, Soarin, Great Movie Ride, Toy Story, etc.) but I don't know what their rules for pregnant women are. Special events, such as one of the fireworks dessert parties & Hoop Dee Doo Revue dinner show, would be great. One of the safaris offered at Animal Kingdom Lodge could be awesome. Spend some time at the resort pool, do Fantasia mini-golf, etc. There's a lot to do at WDW besides coasters.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I've been at WDW at 11 weeks pregnant and Disneyland at 26 weeks. I stay really active during pregnancy and have luckily not experienced too much fatigue. I had plenty of family to help me with my DD who turned 1 on the WDW trip. My key was to stay hydrated and eat lots of small snacks through the day to stay energized.

Everyone's pregnancies are soooo different. She may do just fine with your schedule or need to sit some things out. Just try to stay flexible!

 

[Shellee999]

Not WDW, but I went to Hershey Park at 30 weeks pregnant (no flying involved). Hershey Park is large, and unfortunately we were there during an actual heat wave, so the temperature was comparable. There is not one thing more important than making sure she always has water with her. I thought I was drinking enough, but still became dehydrated and it took me until about halfway through the night to get back to normal. She'll listen to her body for resting/sitting I'm sure, but may not notice what's going on with the water until she realizes she hasn't had to go to the bathroom in a record amount of time!

Also, I personally disagree with skipping things because of her. If she says it's okay, believe her. Those are good opportunities for her to rest. I liked that my husband and others got the chance to go on the thrill rides.