A couple short weeks ago, we took a few days and headed up north for a relaxing, restful, fun, energizing Babymoon with just me and the Hubbs.
And it almost didn’t happen.
It was one of those things I’d been looking forward to in the abstract. Some time away together to rest, recharge, and think about how things were going to change for our family with this new babe’s arrival. But as it got closer, life got in the way, and I started questioning (as I do):
- Do we really have the time to just step away?
- Is it going to be too complicated to organize care for Emmett while we’re gone?
- Do we really need to spend the money right now?
- Do we really NEED the time away? Don’t we know what having a baby is all about by now?
And, you know what? As much as I could have rationalized myself right out of taking the trip… we went anyway.
Yes, it was a little complex to arrange childcare. Yes, we could have saved a bit of money staying at home. And Yes, in general we know what having a baby entails.
But what we realized the moment we stepped away, was we hadn’t stopped long enough to think about how it might be different the second time around.
Parenting a toddler is BUSY. No one who’s in the midst of it would tell you otherwise. Most days we’re just keeping our head above water balancing all our commitments… and we certainly haven’t had the time to sit together and talk about life as a family of four.
And that’s just what we did with our time away. We talked about baby names, we chatted about getting through the delivery with a toddler in tow (“oh yeah… I guess he has to go somewhere!”), we chatted about what those early months would look like with ‘2 under 2’… all the things we’d both been thinking about, but hadn’t had time to share with each other.
Oh, and you guys… we slept. WE SLEPT IN!!! We ate meals gloriously late, and at a leisurely pace while seated. We played mini-golf, we ate, we got prenatal massages (okay… just me), and we did whatever we pleased for three lovely days.
So, for all of you questioning whether a Babymoon is right for you the second time around, take my advice… DO IT! Make the time, scale it to fit your budget, and just get away. You won’t regret it!
Now, for those who are looking for some more info on what we did on our weekend away… check out the deets below!
Where We Went:
Blue Mountain, Collingwood
It’s just far enough from Toronto (a couple of hours) that it felt like a true getaway, without being too far to make getting away for a couple of nights difficult. Oh, and neither of us had been in the summer before – more on that below!
Where We Stayed:
We stayed two nights at the Westin Trillium House in the Village at Blue Mountain, and couldn’t have been happier with the accommodations. The hotel is modern, beautiful, and centrally located in the village – just a short walk to all the restaurants and fun. It backs onto a lovely pond, and the patio at the back of the property is the perfect place to take in a cozy sunset. There’s also a fabulous pool – totally kid friendly – which we didn’t take advantage of, but definitely will next time we’re here! We had a one-bedroom suite which was perfect for slow mornings, and breakfasts in the room, and we couldn’t help but think the space afforded in the suite would be perfect for ski season as well! And the staff was so wonderful – they knew we were visiting for our babymoon and left a sweet note and snacks in the room to help us celebrate. We’ll be back!
What We Did:
I’m going to be honest here… we did A LOT of eating and sleeping. Like a lot, a lot. But, that being said we did venture out for some fun and relaxation!
Blue Mountain in the summer is full of activities for the whole family. They’ve got a giant bag jump, a rock climbing wall, a putting course, a ridgeline coaster, and even gondola rides up to the peak! Given that we were travelling with a babe on board, we stuck to the preggo-friendly activities and hit up the putting course. It was a blast! But I miiiiiight want to make a return trip to check out that coaster!
I also couldn’t leave Blue Mountain without checking out the Scandinave Spa… and it was soooo worth it. Absolutely one of the highlights of the trip. The Spa is beautifully built in harmony with nature, nestled right into the trees and 
natural landscape, so you feel instantly relaxed when you arrive. The Scandinave Spa is built around it’s baths – varying temps of warm, chilly, and freezing baths, taken in turn with relaxation time to fully rejuvenate your body. They’re built into the landscape with stone, waterfalls, and roll down the hills to add to the feeling of privacy. And if that wasn’t enough, the have a Eucalyptus Steam silo, two sauna rooms, and fully equipped indoor and outdoor relaxation areas (giant hammocks anyone?!).
But I haven’t even mentioned the best part for a pregnant lady (if you’re expecting, you should check with your doc before enjoying the baths, saunas or steam rooms of course!) – you guys,
my favourite part was the amazing array of massage rooms. They have a full staff of fully qualified RMTs waiting to massage away any stress (or pregnancy pain!) you might be feeling. I enjoyed a full hour massage, and it was bliss. Walking out with no back pain was absolutely a trip highlight! If you’re debating a visit to Scandinave – debate no more. You need to make this part of your Blue Mountain getaway.
Here’s hoping you plan your own getaway soon – and if you have a favourite Babymoon location, share it below! You might just help a mama out!
Xo
Note: We worked with The Westin Trillium House and the Scandinave Spa once we decided to visit Blue Mountain, and received reduced rates for their services. That being said, we really did love both places this much and would ABSOLUTELY recommend them for your next vacation! We’d never lead you astray!
