To not overly understand the idea of a ‘babymoon’

[Firsttimemama98]

We’ve had friends and family tell us we should definitely do one last sunshine holiday before baby.

I just can’t see how it would be a relaxing experience. I would be anxious (country dependent) on if I needed any care relating to pregnancy whilst over there, I wouldn’t be able to drink nor eat things I’d usually like on holiday plus it’s a huge chunk of a few thousand pounds that we could use to buy me more time off work for maternity leave - or better, put towards baby’s first holiday. I am under no illusion that holidays aren’t very different with a baby, I’m sure they are, especially as they get mobile!

AIBU - did you have a babymoon and are you glad you did?

I went to Dubai for a few nights when I was 32 weeks with my second - it was certainly more relaxing than running around after a toddler.

babies do change EVERYTHING. So a last holiday just you two Is never a bad idea ( any excuse for a holiday and I’m there tbh!)

With my first pregnancy I was very nervous and wouldn’t have wanted to travel anywhere really. 2nd pregnancy I was much more relaxed and went on a sports holiday and loved it (gentle tennis, cycling, Pilates and swimming) and I enjoyed all the normal things I love about holidays, the food, sunshine and relaxing vibe. But just do what you’re happy and comfortable with. I’m curious you say food, there isn’t that much you can’t eat in pregnancy/ doesn’t rein you in that much.

Re holiday at 4-6 months, that’s a great time to go. They can get a bit tricker travel wise as they get bigger and more mobile. We went to Sani when my LO was 6 months and it was fantastic

I didn’t class it as a Babymoon but DP and I had a couple of nights in a nice hotel a few weeks before my due date as we knew it was the kind of thing we wouldn’t have the chance to do for a while, nice meals, walks, swimming in the pool and a lie in!

I’m going away - I’ll be 24/25 weeks - but not because I want a babymoon….i just am in desperate need of a holiday and would have had one anyway with or without baby on board.

Thats strange, the only way I have ever heard the word babymoon be used is like honeymoon - as in it is the days after the baby has arrived where the new little family are just laying in bed and feeling loved up.

We booked New York when we’d been struggling to conceive for 2 years and were about to go onto the IVF waiting list as our “pre-IVF something to look forward to” trip.

We’d been wanting Zika free locations just in case. DH suggested Japan. I said no on the off chance I am pregnant, I don’t want to be unable to eat sushi.

I was 27/28 weeks pregnant when we went to New York and it was lovely. Amazing food, able to take our time with the museums and sightseeing. Plus have nice pics of the bump with the landmarks. Knew there wouldn’t be another trip like it for some time. We took out really comprehensive insurance for me and baby. Medical care in NYC is obviously good and language not an issue. DS wasn’t born until term but did need a month in NICU. Having been there I do slightly shiver at the thought of what it would have been like being in NICU for ages in NYC. But also I have lovely memories and I’m so glad we went!

I suppose we also had a baby moon with DS2 although I’d never have called it that. We went to Greece at 23 weeks and that was our last holiday as a 3. They’re just holidays!

Lots of my friends who’ve got married recently have had mini moons. Basically they’ve just had a nice UK holiday away after the wedding, as it’s not actually been the ideal timing with family over or financially to go on a big trip. The names are a bit cutesy but the holidays are nice ideas!

We went on one around 25 weeks. I soon realised that the very hot weather and trying to do any excursions was a bad idea. It was lovely to have that time laid in the shade in the warm, reading lots of books and napping, having yummy food brought to the sun lounger and having a gentle swim in the pool though.

Seven years later I can assure you we haven't been able to do this again yet and I do look back on the last child free holiday memory fondly. It's such a long time before all the kids are old enough that you can relax without worrying they're going to get lost or drown.

Yanbu I couldn’t think of anything worse whilst pregnant, but I had an awful pregnancy and hated every second of it.

I had some nice holidays while pg with both dcs, they were just nice holidays and not that different from holidays we'd have chosen anyway. I rarely drink anyway and I like enough food that avoiding a few restricted foods still leaves enough choice, and I don't tend to do the kinds of activities that are restricted. (There was a ferris wheel that had a sign saying pregnant women shouldn't ride but it was really sedate and I just went on anyway). Physically I've never found pregnancy very difficult and don't get morning sickness, so I was still able to go sightseeing and visit attractions.

I'm with you OP. Your friends must like the idea of babymoons for themselves, but not everybody wants the same things from life. You prefer to hibernate in your cozy nest at home and nothing wrong with either way.

I can’t imagine anything worse.

i puked my way through 9 months of pregnancy. Maternity a&E for rehydration was one of the few places i went. Travel was not an option.

We went on holiday when I was pregnant. I loved it, still had the odd glass of wine and ate most things. But I refused, REFUSED, to call it a babymoon: I think it sounds a bit entitled and... I dunno... naff?

I do find holidays with a young child much much less relaxing than when we went as a couple TBH. But you might feel differently

So I think do what you want to do... don't go on holiday if it's not appealing or is a bit of a financial strain.

If you have the time and money then as with any holiday, why not, any old excuse for a holiday will do.

But if it's going to eat into your maternity leave post baby and waste money you just don't have comfortably spare then there's no point.

We went on a baby moon during my I think 5 th or 6th month of pregnancy to a destination I always wanted to go to. I enjoyed it being just the 2 of us away for one last time; what I didn’t anticipate is how hot I’d be (although it was November for some reason I was boiling hot) and even broke into rashes from feeling hot. Other than that was a really nice break and memory. Was way more peaceful than any ‘holiday’ that we’ve had with our now 5yr old so is not comparable by any means

We went for a drive up the coast to stay away for a long weekend, but it was a bumpy trip, lots of windy roads and I nearly went into early labour (about 7 and a half months pregnant at the time) and was in pain. It was awful.

If you want to go away make it restful, peaceful and easy to get to. Definitely don't recommend abroad, if you need urgent care that would be a nightmare.

We had a week in Cyprus when I was 24/25 weeks and it was lovely. Didn't think of it as a babymoon, was just the time we happened to want to he on holiday.

The restrictions of pregnancy were really very little. A few cheeses, I couldn't have swordfish in one restaurant, not much else. Not drinking didn't bother me.

Did everything else on holiday I would how done otherwise. Loads of amazing archaeological sites.

No I had my DD during covid otherwise I would have

I didn't have a babymoon but we did plan on having one last holiday before we started trying. It was a holiday that i wouldnt be able to do pregnant. Although this never happened due to covid! Again this year we are planning our toddler's first holiday but there is a chance I may be pregnant by then, as we plan on trying for our next one soon! I never gave it a thought but you've reminded me about being careful with food! I have to be careful what I eat anyway as had Gestational Diabetes and likely will again😒
My brother and his wife had their honeymoon whilst expecting my Nephew. I don't think there's anything wrong with holidaying when pregnant personally, although haven't done it myself yet. I did have trouble in pregnancy in the form of bleeding, but this never turned out to be anything- it was just very worrying for me!

Covid. So no. Probably wouldn’t have done anyway. I travelled to Europe at 32 weeks with my second (as was the limit) and it was fine/doable. But it wasn’t relaxing. Quite possibly because we had a toddler in tow.

I had no idea what a Babymoon was until I went away during the half-term before DD was born. DH and I stayed at a lovely hotel in The Lakes.
7.5 months and was huge. I got complementary mocktails in the evening and a facial at the spa.
Because of all the walkers staying there I was a bit of a novelty.
The hotel had approached my DH and suggested the spa treatment so he could go on a walk.
I got a facial,massage (with free samples afterwards) and the most amazing afternoon tea.
The assistant manager said as I was slathering jam on my scone that in her home country the friends of a pregnant woman spoil her for one day so she can relax before the baby comes.

Holidays are not the same with small children. It's your last fling as just the two of you. I don't see why people find that contentious.

Yes, it’s not a wild stretch of the imagination, surely.

We’d planned it, but given our first pregnancy ended in a missed miscarriage and surgery, I wouldn’t leave the country past 12 weeks just in case.

The not drinking or only eating certain things didn’t bother me though. I had 2 work trips, 1 in each pregnancy and then decided not to fly after the 12 week scan knowing our rainbow was okay.

Now we have her and were desperate to go abroad with her, but I’m worried about if she gets sick abroad 😂 the worrying never stops from the minute you’re pregnant!

If you are comfortable travelling, then I would have loved a last holiday with DH. we’d always planned to. We did uk breaks instead but they’re not the same

The term wasn’t invented then (dc now in his 20s!) but DH and I went to Italy for a week, which was wonderful. I was only 18 weeks though - wouldn’t have fancied flying later in pregnancy.