What is a babymoon?

Sep 17, 2011 9:43 AM by Marye Audet

Posted in Parenting / Having a Baby / Conceiving

Before Baby Bonding

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon did it. Kate Hudson and Matt Bellamy did it, too. In fact, a babymoon is one of the hottest trends among new parents to be. Are you ready to hop on the babymoon bus?

Couple on babymoon

You are counting down the weeks until the big event and both of you are nervous about the whole thing– after all, once you held that positive pregnancy test you knew your lives were going to change forever. You may wonder if your relationship will be the same or if you will be able to handle all the new responsibilities. You may even feel like you need time to escape and get your mind cleared.

A babymoon is a newly coined term for a period of time both parents take to relax and spend quality time together before the baby is born. It is one of the biggest travel trends on the charts right now and can provide a solid foundation for the changes that are about to happen in both your lives. Planned to allow you to catch up on your rest, relax in your favorite environment, and give you time to reconnect and renew the romance, a babymoon can be anywhere from a tropical beach to a romantic country inn. Consider a babymoon the perfect getaway for you both.

Some things to consider

Before you decide on a week in a remote tree house lodge in the Amazon forest, there are some things that need to be considered.

Before you book your babymoon, talk to your preferred airline to find out what their travel policies for expectant moms are.
How close is the nearest hospital in case you go into labor unexpectedly? It probably won't happen, but if it does you should be close enough to a hospital that you can get care.
How much walking (or stairs) will you have to do? Hiking to a restaurant ten blocks away is no fun when your ligaments are loose and your baby's head is bumping your cervix with every step.
What can you afford? You have a lot of bills coming up– going too far into debt for a babymoon is not a great idea.
How do you relax the best? Do you want a spa with prenatal massage or just a quiet hotel room with cable TV?

This should not be the sightseeing adventure of a lifetime but a chance to cocoon and chill out before your baby comes.

It's not too late

Just because you are a week away from your due date doesn't mean you have missed out. Many new parents choose to wait until after the baby is born to take a few weeks away from reality and focus on becoming a family. There is a lot of wisdom in this– you won't be worrying about meals, laundry or visitors and you can spend your time getting to know the newest member of your family.