Toddler/baby gear and practicalities

[drspouse]

we are going to St Anton with Esprit in late Jan. DS will be just 3 and in nursery (maybe 1 private ski lesson) and DD will be 7 months.

Which of these do I really need to get "official" ski stuff and where from?

Coats/snow suit - we have high street (Tu/Ladybird) not very exciting coat/snow suit but at least the snow suit has feet/button on gloves and DD is hard to fit as she's dinky and the gloves tend to fall off. DH is suggesting looking for a coat in Mountain Warehouse and I'm thinking TK Maxx (ours is not brilliant though). Or a down snow suit from Little Trekkers? Is a down coat necessary? I feel like since I have one...

Salopettes - DS has a pair that seem fine - JJMB?

Hats, gloves, socks - DD has fleece hats that fasten under the chin and a PoP ditto. DS has normal fleece hats and mittens. DS has thicker "wellie socks" but DD only has normal cotton socks but she does have tights and fleece sleep suits. Do we need thicker gloves? Socks? Balaclavas?

Layers- DD has the usual baby stuff plus fleece baby grows, I think she has wool jumpers or at least fleece. DS has some thermal layers and I'm planning to get more. He tends to wear joggers or leggings so I was thinking tights/thermal leggings, then joggers, then salopettes? He has a couple of turtle necks - if I get more of those and then a wool jumper or a fleece hoody under his coat? Or does he need more?

Snow boots: buy there for DS? Or buy here? If the latter, where?

It's sounding like they want bottles made up and taken to nursery but they say they have a steriliser, does anyone know if you go over and use theirs (we're in a chalet opposite the one with the childcare) or do they expect you to do all your own washing up/sterilising, take a bottle brush?

I have a buckle carrier which I'll take for DD in the airport. She's still in a front carry and I'm not sure how easy it will be to walk around the resort with her in it? So maybe buy a cheap sledge/borrow one ?

One word - ebay- seriously, why pay over the top for suits/boots they will get so little wear out of. You you are against pre loved then jojo maman do good boots. my DD is now 3 and this is our 3rd trip with espirit. (Ace) For DD a snowsuit with fold over hands/feet is a must I liked Colombia snuggle baby as its a down - espirit have a number of buggys that are snow sturdy and you are normally free to
Use them if they are not planning to use them themselves - you can also hire buggys in resort if really needed. All chalets come with feed station you can access 24/7 steam sterilisers etc. plus you can ask the staff to PPP them in the dish washer. One piece of advice take double the amount of formula you need - the french stuff is outrageously expensive and buba drunk much, much more than normal on our trips..

Any thing else you want to know, let me know!

Oh that's so helpful thanks! I was worrying again about the formula last night with the creche being in a different chalet.
My mum is bringing a pair of x-country boots that my DNs wore that, if they fit, will be OK for DS walking around in the snow. I'll get DD a snowsuit with fold over mitts, eBay is my best friend!
Will she be OK in her fleece baby grow and normal socks or should I get her some warmer socks? If we do one lesson for DS I think he'll need tube socks... what about his gloves/hat?
Great to hear about the buggies and will definitely take more formula! She loves her solids too, it says they have jars and older child food so she'll demand both!

Normal socks will be fine she'll be snug as a bug with the fleece!

For DS I would take at least 3 pairs of waterproof gloves/mittens as he's bound to be making igloos and snowmen - next have some good ones if ebay can't help. A fleecy lined hat with flaps should be fine. Don't go crazy with base layers thermals and long sleeve t-shirt & little fleece will be fine. remember they will be at resort level and running around when outside.

The chalets also provide a fridge full of fresh purree & microwaves at their feed stations too which you can help yourself to at any time (plus sippy cups and cooled boiled water. You can also store made up bottles for night time feeds in the fridge - so all bases covered!
Ooh I can't wait to go now!! X

Crossing my fingers that DS will actually deign to wear mittens... We have a Next and I'll check TK Maxx too for gloves/hat.

Have my eye on some snow suits and coats on ebay now...

If you buy ds1 a ski coat, just buy one in a colour and style you like so he can wear as main winter coat the rest of this winter and all next winter.

Barts - the do baby ski 'booties'. Basically huge waterproof padded sock type things you can put on baby to keep feet and bottom of legs warmer.

I actually don't put ski suit on them until moving age. So if crawling yes as they might crawl in snow a bit, or want to get down outside in seating area, but otherwise I did baby best and babygrow. Thin jumper. Then thick cardigan. Then booties. Then we used a 'bug in a rug' blanket with legs for in pram and inside sling. Then inside footmuff with blanket in pram as well, and wrap a blanket around outside of sling. Plus hat etc.

Remember to take any snowsuit off baby and unwrap blankets as soon as you go inside anywhere as roasting. Hence I don't put on non moving babies as easier to just add more blankets and remove

My DS did his first season age 3. I bought him an age 5 ski jacket that he will wear for the last time this year at 6 and pass onto his brother - still looks new (he has worn it plenty in between but not consistently). DD has also worn hers from 5 through to 8 (age 8-9). Both have rip tapes around the cuffs so didn't matter it was a little big to start with. This year I got some amazing bargains in my local oxfam for kids' salopettes that look almost new so worth checking them out. I've bought barts mittens on a string for my kids - amazingly never lost even though we've lost plenty of gloves at school and home.

Ps get snow boots here, much cheaper. Brands like trespass (trek wear quite a good value site and reliable) very reasonably priced and decent. Maybe it's just the resorts we pick but I rarely buy anything unless it's in the end of season sale.

All the ebay kit has arrived, gloves from Next for DS and a hat from Mountain Warehouse, and a down coat for him plus a down snowsuit for DD, with integral boots/gloves. His coat is pretty much a dress and then my mum has an old one of DBs from when he was 5 so we are set for future years too!

Annoyingly we have several hand me down coats but they are all supermarket thin brands which are fine for our warm coastal UK area but not for skiing!

My mum found some old cross-country ski boots that fit him (if we can persuade him to wear them). He has been saying "it snow, I wear gloves" which is great plus they have velcro which means he can't get them off... I did get some mitten clips but I am not sure where I've put them.

Now all we need is snow (there is some forecast for Friday... I think... DH ever the pessimist says he thinks it will be rain).

Yay! That's brilliant news! A good dump (30cm)has been forecast across the Alps for the weekend and the following week looks to be cold and snowy - fingers crossed! Hope you have a great time - write a review for us, I quite fancy Austria next year

Hooray! I'm particularly keen for snow at low levels as I want to do cross country.
Got all my gear out and I am thinking a quick trip back to TK Maxx for warm leggings for me. I have a good pair of overtrousers, lots of tights, and one pair of thick fleece leggings which I wear in between but just one seems too little.

DD has a cold... poor baby... caught off DS from nursery. He's recovered but must remember adult cold remedies...for when we catch it.

Right, I think we have everything!

I am pretty sure we can't fit enough in the case to do NO washing at all. What do people do about clothes washing? Wash out smalls/baby clothes by hand? Launderette? Just hope you have enough? It's when you have two pairs of pyjamas and a nappy leak two days running...