Taking a “Babymoon”

If you follow me on Facebook, you should know by now that Baby Girl #3 was FINALLY born one week ago today–on Wednesday, Aug. 22 at 6:03 a.m.! I cannot WAIT to tell you her birth story! In fact, I was hoping to get it out today, but I didn’t want to rush to finish it. Instead, I’m sharing with you about a tradition my husband and I have taken in each of my pregnancies: a Babymoon.

Back in June , my husband and I took our third babymoon. We had not been on an overnight trip together since our second was born, and it was a much-needed, relaxing getaway for both of us!

Wikipedia describes a babymoon as “a vacation taken by a couple that is expecting a baby in order to allow the couple to enjoy a final trip together before the many sleepless nights that usually accompany a newborn.”

Like a post-wedding honeymoon, a babymoon is meant as a romantic time of bonding between a couple.

I had never heard of the term “babymoon” when we took our first pre-baby vacation in 2008. I just knew that I wanted to enjoy one last weekend together before the two of us became three. On our first babymoon, I was about 7 months pregnant, and we visited Atlanta. During that trip, we tried to pack in as much as possible–thinking we wouldn’t be able to trek a baby with us everywhere (boy, were we wrong!). We had a blast, but I do remember feeling some exhaustion after waddling my way through the aquarium, Coca-Cola museum and zoo!

We opted for a more relaxing trip for our second babymoon in 2010. We left our firstborn with my parents and spent the weekend at a lovely bed and breakfast in Asheville, NC. I was only 6 months along at this point–in the pinnacle of the energetic second trimester. We relaxed at the inn, enjoyed the local shops and food and got a couples massage at a spa.

For our third babymoon, we traveled just an hour and a half away to Blowing Rock, NC. We stayed in a quaint hotel in the heart of the town, and we spent our days relaxing and visiting the local shops. We also enjoyed sampling the community’s food–from Kiwlin’s homemade fudge and ice cream to the Mellow Mushroom’s pizza and calzones to Ooh La La’s gourmet cupcakes. (How blessed I am not to have gestational diabetes this time around!)

With three babymoons under our belts, we’ve learned a few lessons on what makes the ideal pre-baby getaway:

Go during the mother’s second trimester

Our most relaxing babymoon was probably our second. Five to six months pregnant is an ideal time to travel because the mother is not yet in the uncomfortably-large stage, and she has the most stamina of the entire pregnancy.

I’ll be honest: I huffed and puffed my way through Blowing Rock! In fact, I had to keep stopping every few minutes to catch my breath as we made our way uphill from our hotel to downtown! I was eight months pregnant, and, besides getting winded, I heard…shall we say, interesting…remarks from strangers the entire weekend. Oh, I expected to hear: “You look like you’re about to pop!” But, when the middle aged man told me he could see the outline of my belly button sticking out of my shirt, and the well-meaning woman told me I ought to opt for the handicapped restroom stall because I couldn’t fit in the regular one, I felt my cheeks burn a tad. I didn’t hear any of these things during my second-trimester babymoon!

Travel to a location with a moderate climate

For me, the mountains are perfect. We traveled when wasn’t too hot and wasn’t too cold. Pregnant women overheat very easily. Alternately, you can take your babymoon during the mild fall or spring seasons.

Rest!

As I mentioned above, we were on the go our entire first babymoon. Believe me, your baby will keep you plenty active after he or she arrives! The perfect babymoon includes lots of rest and relaxation.

Make plenty of memories

This may be the last time you and your spouse have time alone for a long time (maybe even years!). Make it count!

Splurge a little

My husband and I can’t afford to get massages, stay in nice hotels or eat out often, but a babymoon is the perfect time to spend a little extra money–since your baby will be taking most of it the next 18 years anyway.

Did you ever take a babymoon? What are your suggestions for a perfect babymoon getaway?