On our first ski trip with Baby, nobody died or got hurt, nobody got sick and nobody cried for more than 5 minutes. With my new standards, that makes it a success!
These days, we are preparing for our second trip. Bold, aren’t we?!
These are some of the things I am taking into account this time!
1. I don’t think babies appreciate extremes. It seems that snow is extreme, so too much exposure to it, is not very welcome. Plan your outings accordingly. (Daphne, who is now 8 months, could last no more than 20 minutes)
2. Packing baby stuff is overwhelming, the trip itself is tiring, so, expect to arrive exhausted wherever you are going. Make reservations accordingly- maybe book for an extra night?
3. Last time, we decided to go to our winter house, instead of the chalet and guess what? For the entire weekend, we have been working on the house, along with handling Baby and skiing. This time, we are making hotel reservations! It’s the humane thing to do, honestly.
4. Expect Baby to be frustrated on different occasions and for a number of reasons. Delayed meals, inability to nap at proper time and other smaller or bigger “issues”, are part of the traveling experience. Having something surprising (a new toy) could be a life savior. I hate to admit it but finger food also does miracles. Don’t overdo it though.
5. Don’t take the noisy toys along. Too many people giving you the evil eye is just bad karma.
6. 7-month old babies are too small for sledges, which was a bummer.
7. Don’t try anything new these days. The trip will be exciting and challenging enough for the baby.
8. It’s ok if the baby doesn’t poop for a couple of days. Traveling does that to a lot of people and babies do come from the same planet.
9. Up in the mountains, you can get sunburned in no time. The radiation levels are higher, the reflections intense and your radar is off because it’s cold and the association of cold and burning is weak! Protect the baby’s skin with suncream.
10. We are traveling with Nanny, so booking an appartment seems wiser than two hotel rooms. It’s roomier, and more comfortable both for Nanny and Baby. (we are still lamenting our lost privacy but you can’t have it all).
Don’t expect too much and don’t panic.
It’s a trip, remember?
Go have fun!
(Tip: Book an Extra Night and Have a Couple’s Massage!)
