restaurants and a 6 mo. old

[crusoe2]

I got such great advice on my thread about swimsuits for babies - now I'm hoping someone can help me out with another issue. It's been 11 years since we did the whole baby food thing and we've never dealt with it at WDW. Our DD will be about 6 mo. old when we go in June and we have already started her on cereal once a day. I'm figuring that by middle of June she will be eating cereal and/or babyfood at 2 or 3 feedings a day? Someone please refresh my memory on this. It's been a looong time since I've done this. I'm also looking for suggestions on how to warm baby food and cereal in our hotel room and at restaurants at the parks. I have a few ideas on how to do it in the room but I would like to know what others have found to work best. I also know about the baby centers in the parks but I think we will probably have at least a couple of times that her feeding time will hit while we are having our meal. (She hasn't gotten on a really regular schedule yet so this is bound to happen at some point.) Any suggestions on how to warm her baby food in a restaurant or particular restaurants that would be especially baby-friendly? TIA.

 

[Selket]

When my son was that age (not so long ago!) I just mixed up his cereal with very hot water at a restaurant. Most restaurants will bring you hot water that they use to make tea. It is very hot but mixes fine with formula and it cools off pretty quickly when you add the cereal. Otherwise I got those 4 ou bottles of formula that are premixed and just used those straight out of the bottle to mix his cereal with and he didn't mind that it was room temp. Those are great! For the convenience on vacation I think it would be worth it. I didn't do it enough to go out and buy the little bottles of it but I'd think you could find them somewhere or online (mail order) from the formula company. I just used the samples I got in the hospital. Just checked and you can buy an 8 pack of the 3 ou bottles of enfamil online at netgrocer.com for $12.50. Expensive but easy!!! Otherwise get hot water at the restaurant and do it yourself!

I'll add that I never warmed his baby food as long as it had not been in the fridge. I've read that babies don't seem to mind room temp food and that was true for both of mine. That saves a lot of time and hassle and makes it easy! You can also buy jars of baby food that is oatmeal or rice cereal mixed with something simple like apples. That also worked great for us when we were out of the house. Forgot about that!!! Of everything, THAT would be the easiest way to feed the baby cereal! Nothing to mix or measure!!!

Good luck!
Carol

 

[BevS97]

I used to give my dd room temp bottles and baby food - we generally carried jars of baby food and either warmed it in hot water, or gave it straight out of the jar - depending on what it was, and how quickly she 'needed' to eat

Bev

 

[Jordan's MOM]

I agree to just get her used to eating all the jar foods at room temp. If this is what she is used to she will do fine. The jars of ceral are nice. She will also be ready for fruits and vegtables by that time too. I found fruits a lot easier to take along places because the color of many of then and the fact that my DS liked them better and was less likely to spit them at me, made them less messy! If you do indeed decide you need them warmed, ask for a cup of very hot water and just sit the jar in it for a few minutes until warm. You might want to consider shipping a box of baby food to your resort , along with diapers, if you are flying or don't want to mess with carrying them with you.



jordan's mom

 

[MK Familystone]

Ah ! The days of Gerber Bottles stuffed inthe backpack along the kiks and cherios tided to the umbrella stroller going down Main St USA turning the corner heading to the Crystal Palace and finding the Mothers Rooms at First Aid every food group and formula was avalable plus Personal private feeding rooms and changing tables.

Call WDW and ask them about the Mother's Rooms at each Park.

Funny there wherE not any Father's Rooms.

ENJOY!

MAGIC WILL HAPPEN!

 

[Trinity721]

My DD at 9 months is good about taking food at room temp. I would also suggest that you get her accustomed to unwarmed food. It's ok as long as it's not cold right out of the fridge. Ready-made formula is also a good idea, so you can just mix it with the cereal right away and not worry about making the formula. I also give my daughter the Gerber baby food already mixed with cereal, and she likes it fine. The one poster suggested getting hot water from restaurants and that is a good idea as well.

By 6 months your baby should be eating at least 2 times a day, but it depends. My DD at that age got picky some days and would only eat 1 or 2 good feedings of cereal and baby food. Especially when she wasn't feeling well, she would not eat well either. I'm pretty sure most WDW restaurants are baby-friendly, and will be able to accomodate your needs. My DD doesn't have a set feeding schedule, she usually eats when we eat and has been conditioned to sit and eat at restaurants when we eat as well. Babies are creatures of habit, so as long as they get habituated to do something it won't be a big problem.

When we go next week, I'm not planning on messing with mixing and fixing cereal for DD. I will just use the ready-made and mixed Gerber baby foods w/ cereal in them.

 

[Baloo]

I took jars of baby food and Erich ate them at room temperature.I found the neatest box to carry them down in.It's like one of the plastic storage shoe boxes but the lid was connected and it had a handle on it.(When Erich was a toddler he used it as a tool box.) We always drive so I'm not sure how you'd carry them down if you fly.

I took a box of cereal and powdered formula.Mixed formula with warm tap water.I'd have the correct amount already in a bottle then just added water when he needed it.

I mixed the cereal with juice sometimes with tap water.I took a couple little Tupperwear bowls in my bag with the amount of cereal he always ate.

You're trip is getting closer,isn't it?!?

Y'all have a GREAT time!!!

 

[crusoe2]

Thanks for all the great ideas. I had forgotten about the cereal in jars. (What can I say - it's been 11 years since I did this stuff.)
We were hoping to get our DD accustomed to powdered formula and to taking her bottles and food at room temp. but it isn't working out very well. She refuses to take anything that isn't at least a little warm. To make matters more complicated, she is on a hypoallergenic formula that is not available just anywhere and does not come in the nice little convenience bottles so we will have to haul the ready-to-feed and a cooler bag to keep it chilled until feeding time. This is so different from our DS - he had to have the same kind of formula but he was able to take the powdered kind. He also would take his formula and food any way he could get it so it didn't matter if we could warm it or not. Using warm water to warm the jars of baby food was the best idea I could come up with, too, so I'm glad to hear that it seems to work well. Thanks again.