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Tips for the 1st winter with a baby.

manhattanskier

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My wife and I are super excited to be expecting on September 2nd. I have been an avid skier my whole life averaging 20 days for the past few years, my wife now loves the sport after I have been teaching her for the past 3 she is now an intermediate. What do you all suggest we do for the first winter with a baby? Who has experience? I don't want to alienate my wife who now loves the sport :)


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crank

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No easy answers. We skied less. Brought grandparents along for weekend trips which entails getting a 2 bedroom condo. Hired local babysitters through a service. Take turns watching the kid in the lodge and skiing. Hate to say it but you will likely see your number of days go down for a while.
 

DJAK

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Look forward to when they turn 3 or 4. Or $pend a ton of time and money dragging the operation around or skiing on your own and feeling guilty. Is what it is. A couple times a year go to the lodge and do the trade off solo thing to get your fix. A few years of less days is not the worst thing in the world. It gets better quick.

 

drjeff

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The 3 main schools of thought seem to be 1) one of you ski for the day while the other stays home with your baby and then flip rolls on a different day so you both get some days on the hill - probably the most economical option, but you won't get to ski with your wife that way and vise versa (could be a pro or a con ;) )

#2) Start using the daycare facilities that most resorts have - both of you get to ski, you can pop in and see your child throughout the day (the most expensive option, and daycare spots can book up quickly or be sold out on short notice at times - takes planning ahead, but you + your wife get to ski together this way)

#3 You both go to the mountain to ski on the same day, but only 1 is skiing for a few runs while the other is inside the lodge watching your child - you then switch off a few times throughout the day

Which one works best??? Depends on a bunch of personal preferences for sure
 

Highway Star

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Just get one of those baby carrier things and bring the kid with you:

 

Mapnut

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Just get one of those baby carrier things and bring the kid with you:

Says the voice of experience, obviously. If Manhattanskier's baby is born in September, he is not going skiing until late in the season, nor sleeping more than 4 hours at a time. (I've been watching my son and his wife struggling with my 2-month-old first grandson.)
 

Tin

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I've seen many moms and dads at MRG wish babies strapped on and the child sleeping. Made me a little nervous to watch. Two of the infants looked quite new to the world.
 

deadheadskier

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I've seen many moms and dads at MRG wish babies strapped on and the child sleeping. Made me a little nervous to watch. Two of the infants looked quite new to the world.

I told my wife about seeing this. Her response was, "You are not using our son as a human airbag"
 

crank

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I agree that with a September due date the kid will be a bit young for carting around until at least late in the season. I used to put my son in one of those kid carrier backpacks and take him out xc skiing. The rhythm of my diagonal stride put him to sleep almost instantly. One time I fell and he didn't even wake up.
 

Smellytele

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#3 You both go to the mountain to ski on the same day, but only 1 is skiing for a few runs while the other is inside the lodge watching your child - you then switch off a few times throughout the day

I have some friends who would buy one ticket and put it on a a piece of outwear (I think a vest that they could wear under their jackets but the ticket could be visible). They would switch off using the vest. Also some mountains do have a parent swap ticket - maybe Bretton Woods?
 

jimk

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The 3 main schools of thought seem to be 1) one of you ski for the day while the other stays home with your baby and then flip rolls on a different day so you both get some days on the hill - probably the most economical option, but you won't get to ski with your wife that way and vise versa (could be a pro or a con ;) )

#2) Start using the daycare facilities that most resorts have - both of you get to ski, you can pop in and see your child throughout the day (the most expensive option, and daycare spots can book up quickly or be sold out on short notice at times - takes planning ahead, but you + your wife get to ski together this way)

#3 You both go to the mountain to ski on the same day, but only 1 is skiing for a few runs while the other is inside the lodge watching your child - you then switch off a few times throughout the day

Which one works best??? Depends on a bunch of personal preferences for sure

Probably a combination of the above is what you may have to do. If you go on multiday ski trips take non or light skiing friends or relatives to watch child while you both ski. Non-skiing grandparents are esp. good for this because they get to enjoy grandchild while you're out skiing. I too have done the child in backpack while skiing thing, but the kids were more like one year old when I did it. Did it both lift served d/h and no lift XC. Maybe you and wife would enjoy XC skiing a few times with baby on nice weather days?
 

Bostonian

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The best part is the first time your little one is out on skis. This is my son from last year at age 3:

10968451_10152683498022963_1797800127811547377_n.jpg
 

marcski

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The best part is the first time your little one is out on skis. This is my son from last year at age 3:

10968451_10152683498022963_1797800127811547377_n.jpg
It gets even better. Wait until they get older and start to really like skiing and want to stay out on the hill even after you've had enough for the day and want to have an apres beer or 3... Now that is satisfaction.
 

dlague

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Some ski resorts have a single ticket that can be shared. Condo with you parents hers or yours which ever shares space well. Day trips if you are close to skiing are the easiest since relatives or close friends can sit. Trips extended or local will be limited for sure. Make the best if it. At two tether and at 3 lessons and you will be out all the time before you know it.
 

mriceyman

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I average 15 days a year.. Last year with a new baby i had 4.. But soo looking forward to next winter when he will be out there with us


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St. Bear

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I went from averaging 20-30 days a year, to 4 or 5 the year my son was born. In the 4 years since then, I've worked it back up to about 20 last year. Now we have another on the way, so I expect to go back into the single digits.

Very true about the feeling once you get them on snow, though.
 

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