A babymoon is a special trip many people take when they’re pregnant, if or when they have the capacity, before life changes once the baby is born. They usually plan to take the trip in the 2nd trimester or early in the 3rd trimester. I went on a babymoon to London UK and Denmark in my 2nd trimester and even though it was winter and snowy, and I had to change our trip plans because of the pregnancy, it was wonderful. Like others, my plan was to have an adventure before life shrunk down into the routine of around-the-clock diapering, sleep deprivation, and baby brain. It’s a beautiful change, and sometimes having a last “hoorah” trip before that change can be a way to hold on to a different way of life and memory when you’re up at 3am with a gassy little one, being amazed at how this little being has stolen your heart.
When it comes to a babymoon, it’s about if you should do one at all, where to go, and considerations to manage risks. That takes planning. Here are some ways to help.
Where to go depends on your pregnancy so far, and your health. There are some factors and your doctor or midwife should weigh in on the health of your pregnancy and you, and whether it’s safe to travel at all.
- If you’re high risk you probably won’t be going anywhere or at least not anywhere far from home, especially not far from your hospital. If you have multiples like twins, you’re high risk. Another is being diagnosed with preeclampsia. This is a discussion with your maternal healthcare provider about your specific needs and their advice.
- If you’re on bed or pelvic rest, your options are limited. I know, that’s very disappointing and bed rest can be very isolating. It’s the trade-off of parenthood and the snuggles and love to come that will make this worth it. That’s not an easy waiting period though.
- If you continue to feel really nauseous, you might not want to go. I invite you to be gentle with yourself about that decision.
Consider at what stage in your pregnancy to travel. Deciding when to go on your babymoon takes some thinking and scheduling. It needs to align with the time you can take off work and also the sweet spot where it’s not too early or too late in your pregnancy. If you go too early before the 20 week anatomy scan you might have more surprises, especially if you hadn’t gotten an NT scan. If you go too late, you risk going into labour, and if you’re flying, airlines have restrictions on how many weeks to be maximum before you can’t fly with them e.g. not past 30 weeks.
Buy a ticket that you can easily change or cancel.This is the time to pay a bit more to get a flexible ticket in case you need to make a change of cancel last minute because of health concerns. Plan for the worst but hope for the best (the best is more likely).
Your mental health matters. If you’ve been through pregnancy loss and/or infertility you might be struggling more with relaxing and enjoying this pregnancy. This also might happen because of hormones or a history of mental health struggles. That’s common and your maternal healthcare provider should help with offering the supports and community that’s available. This babymoon might be what you need to improve your mental health. It’s very personal.
Do adult things. This trip might not be the best time to go to see things that you might want to do with a kid or kids because your family trips in the near future will be all about them for the next decade or more. You’ll have years of family trips centred on your kid’s interests. Perhaps for your babymoon you’ll want to do something you would enjoy that a toddler or a child wouldn’t e.g. not to do Disneyland, go enjoy scenery, culture, art etc.
Choose somewhere with a reputable NICU (neonatal intensive care unit). I say this because of the risk of going into premature labour. I don’t want to bring up this possibility to scare you, but going into early labour can happen to anyone who is pregnant. Choosing somewhere that has a reputable NICU might give you some peace of mind.
Look into local hospitals at your destination and routes to get there. Look into where your hotel or wherever you’re staying at and the route to the closest hospital for delivering or the emergency room. This is just good to have on your to-do list and chances are you won’t need it.
Look into health insurance coverage. If you’re going out of the country or state, look into what is covered, if anything happens, as well as your credit card.
Be prepared to walk a lot. Bring a bellyband or similar support and comfortable shoes in anticipation of walking more. This is out of your routine and usually more walking happens on a trip. Stay hydrated and all that fun stuff. If you’re taking transit you’ll probably have access to the disability areas, but some places are just too busy to have that option. Road trips are a way around this. Your healthcare provider should advise you too.
During flights, walk around frequently and wear compression socks . Your risk of developing blood clots is higher so if you’re flying, so consider wearing compression socks, staying very hydrated and getting up to walk around. Sometimes insurance covers these socks, too.
Listen to your body. You know your body best and when you’re there, listen to what your body needs. You might get uterine tightness if you push it too much, so ease off. If you feel great, keep going! Everyone is different and every pregnancy is different.
Have your number for calling your healthcare provider accessible. You probably won’t need it but it will allow you to have peace of mind if you have this number in your travel notes so you don’t have to scramble if something comes up where you want to call them.
Reduce expectations. Perhaps you don’t need to at all, you’re feeling great, but before you go consider reducing what you plan to accomplish. If you tend to do adventurous trips, consider blocking off time to do relaxing options. Your body is brewing your little bean and that can take a lot more energy. Be ready to be flexible. If you’re feeling symptoms like nausea or fatigue or acid reflux then it’s a bit more taxing on you than when you had bigger adventurous travel plans in the past.
Consider culinary risks. In pregnancy, it’s a time to avoid getting sick with food borne illness or contaminated water. So, when you’re choosing where to go, factor this in. Countries where the street food is sketchy or that you can’t drink the water are riskier options. Look into it because it’s ultimately your choice.
If you’re using a gestational surrogate, communicate early. Communication is key, so discussing it with her beforehand is better to do earlier so you don’t get in a situation where you miss something or she doesn’t feel supported by the fact that you’re being less communicative for a while.
Enjoy!!! This might be a core memory that you have for life. It’s a time for yourself or you and your partner before life changes.
