If you would have asked me 5 years ago about planning a babymoon; I would have had no idea what you were talking about. I’m not usually one to keep up on trends and would have seen this as just another way to get people to spend unnecessary money (looking at you Valentine’s Day).
My Husband and I married in December 2019 and were meant to Honeymoon in Hawaii the following year. Then Covid happened, and with the quarantine precautions everything had to be cancelled. We had to put our Honeymoon plans on pause until August.
By this time I was just about to be 6 months pregnant with our baby girl. With the rough time I was already having with my pregnancy, flights were out of the question. Our Honeymoon was now looking a bit less adventurous and more safeguarded. We wanted to find someplace that we would both enjoy that would also be appropriate for my pregnancy.
We eventually chose Tahoe, specifically South Lake Tahoe in early August. It turned out to be an almost 6 hour drive there but it was the most beautiful honeymoon turned babymoon. And now I recommend every parent should definitely plan a babymoon before welcoming their little bundles of joy.
1. What Is A BabyMoon?
A babymoon, like a honeymoon is a celebratory vacation for a couple or family to enjoy together before the birth of a child. It gives the opportunity to connect and enjoy quality time with one another before the huge change that happens when welcoming a new baby.
This vacation or short trip can be exclusive to the parents to be or include the family if you have older kids. In our case, because we didn’t have our honeymoon, we decided it to be just the two of us.
Before welcoming the beautiful chaos that happens after birth, we both enjoyed the quiet and relaxing time together. It was a time to become closer as a couple and we knew it would be our last big vacation for a while.
2. Timing
Most expecting mothers usually start feeling better by their second trimester. Other than the occasional fainting, random nausea and running out of breath easily, I felt confident enough to travel to Tahoe. And of course, I had my doctors clearance before going. I felt like this was the perfect time for us to go as I was no longer in the early stages but not too close to my due date either. Deciding around what month would work best for you would be dependent on your situation and your doctors advice.
We made arrangements in advance since we have an older child who needed to be watched over while we were gone. I didn’t want him missing school, so the very end of summer break worked best for us. The weather was perfect during this time as well. Taking advantage of school breaks if you have other children may work better for you, especially if the caregiver or relatives helping you live out of town.
If you or your partner work, schedule your trip with as much time in advance as you possibly can to have enough time saved up for requesting time off. We knew the dates had to be during school break and nearing the end of my second trimester so that narrowed it down for us best.
3. Locations
Tahoe for us was perfect. We had the hiking trails, the lake, shops and restaurants. The weather was perfect with chilly mornings, warm sunny days and fresh evenings. It was both relaxing and peaceful, something we both were looking for.
Hiking the trails in the mornings and taking in the beautiful views was our perfect way to start the day. We made sure to check how strenuous of a path it was beforehand. Being pregnant makes it a bit difficult to breath already and I didn’t want to overexert myself. We even rode on a bike trail (with extreme care of course) and relaxed by the lake during the warmer parts of the day. We walked around the shops and tried a few restaurants. In the evenings we would go out for walks in the fresh air.
Try finding a place that would be enjoyable for both you and your partner. Also take into consideration your limitations or precautions if you happen to have any. I couldn’t fly and anything too far of a drive was out of the question. Tahoe was an option that wasn’t more than a day away and we both enjoy nature, so it was the best choice for us.
4. Photos
Take the photos! I cannot stress this enough. No matter how unglamorous you may feel at times, take the damn photos! My daughter’s at the age where she loves looking through photos. When she sees the pictures of my belly while on a hike or relaxing by the lake, she knows that it was her in my belly. It’s not only a great reminder of your trip but a beautiful moment to share with your little one.
I’ll be the first to admit, I did not like taking photos while pregnant. With morning sickness, swelling and the hormonal changes going on, the last thing I wanted was to be photographed. My husband however sneakily took a photo here and there along with a few that I knew of. In the end I’m grateful that he did because I have those keepsakes to look back at and to share with my daughter.
Not every photo needs to be posted or shared. It’s better to take the pictures and document this special time together than not to and end up regretting it. You’ll forever enjoy having those memories to share with your little one and look back on.
5. Relax & Enjoy
Our babymoon was just what we needed to prepare us for our new addition. We had no expectations of schedules and just took each day how it came. This included plenty of naps, hikes, breaks, and tons of relaxing. It was honestly just what we needed before welcoming our little girl. I fully recommend that every new and soon to be parent have one if possible.
Although my experience and advice are geared more towards expecting mothers, a babymoon is not exclusive to only these situations. A babymoon can be enjoyed by any parent expecting a new addition, no matter what route this looks like. My path just happened to be through pregnancy. Becoming a parent is a life changing experience and a moment that should be cherished. No matter what journey it took to get there. This is your guys’ time and moment to celebrate!