20 weeks pregnant in Prague
Babymoons are a relatively new phenomenon but I feel like any opportunity to plan a trip is a great one! Whether you're early in your pregnancy or it's one last hurrah before baby arrives, check out our 5 tips for making your babymoon a success.
1. Talk to your doctor and health insurer
Before you book your plane tickets or accommodation, make sure you consult with the your OB/midwife as well as your family physician. You will want to talk to them about how your pregnancy has been going and whether they have any concerns with you flying or driving long distances. It's never worth putting your own health or the health of your baby at risk so if there are any concerns, better not to go at all!
It's a good idea to run your potential dates by them to make sure that there aren't necessary and time sensitive prenatal tests that need to be done that you might miss or ensure that you can book them immediately before or after your trip. Also tell them your potential destinations to see whether they have any concerns about food/water safety, infectious diseases or access to healthcare.
Finally, make sure you are educated about actiivites you should avoid, symptoms to look out for and when you should seek medical attention.
If you're trying to get pregnant and are planning a trip consider purchasing cancellation insurance in case you become pregnant and find you aren't well enough to travel.
Contact your health insurance provider to inform them that you plan on traveling and make sure that you will be covered should you need medical attention with regards to your pregnancy. The last thing you need is to become ill and find out that your pregnancy was considered a "pre-existing condition!"
2. Choose the right time
The second trimester is likely your best bet for a successful babymoon. During your first trimester you may have nausea or fatigue that would make traveling less than ideal (I experienced this on a pre-planned trip to Boston when the sight of any food turned my stomach and I could barely stay up past 8 pm) while in your third trimester you can be large enough that standing, sitting and walking are all just different variations of uncomfortable.
During your second trimester you will be most likely to tolerate travel days and sightseeing and enjoy the food and activities you want to experience
3. Pick a location and check with the airline!
If you are booking a flight, check with the airline to ensure that you meet their criteria for flying. Some airlines will refuse boarding to any individual who is more than X weeks pregnant (it can vary depending on the airline). We have seen a couple forcibly removed from a flight in Greece because of being too close to her due date. It may be safest to carry a letter from your doctor verifying how far along you are so that you don't run into any problems.
Depending on the time of year, the length of your trip and your interests your options are almost endless. Make sure you consult the CDC website to make sure your potential destination is zika free and consider things like length of the flight, altitude and weather at your destination and the most convenient place to look for accommodations.
For our first babymoon we opted to go to Europe for 2 weeks in the fall. We chose locations that were a little cooler and stayed in more central locations so that we could go back to our hotel for a siesta if my energy was low.
For our second babymoon we opted for a weekend getaway sans toddler. It was the winter and ideally we wanted to go somewhere warm, but Zika really limited our options. Instead we chose New York City and splurged for a hotel in Manhattan. We had thought about going to a winter resort like the Fairmont Chateau Montebello but my husband brought up a good point - I couldn't enjoy the hot tub and was I really wanting to cross country ski or snowshoe while 28 weeks pregnant? Which brings me to my next point...
1. Talk to your doctor and health insurer
Before you book your plane tickets or accommodation, make sure you consult with the your OB/midwife as well as your family physician. You will want to talk to them about how your pregnancy has been going and whether they have any concerns with you flying or driving long distances. It's never worth putting your own health or the health of your baby at risk so if there are any concerns, better not to go at all!
It's a good idea to run your potential dates by them to make sure that there aren't necessary and time sensitive prenatal tests that need to be done that you might miss or ensure that you can book them immediately before or after your trip. Also tell them your potential destinations to see whether they have any concerns about food/water safety, infectious diseases or access to healthcare.
Finally, make sure you are educated about actiivites you should avoid, symptoms to look out for and when you should seek medical attention.
If you're trying to get pregnant and are planning a trip consider purchasing cancellation insurance in case you become pregnant and find you aren't well enough to travel.
Contact your health insurance provider to inform them that you plan on traveling and make sure that you will be covered should you need medical attention with regards to your pregnancy. The last thing you need is to become ill and find out that your pregnancy was considered a "pre-existing condition!"
2. Choose the right time
The second trimester is likely your best bet for a successful babymoon. During your first trimester you may have nausea or fatigue that would make traveling less than ideal (I experienced this on a pre-planned trip to Boston when the sight of any food turned my stomach and I could barely stay up past 8 pm) while in your third trimester you can be large enough that standing, sitting and walking are all just different variations of uncomfortable.
During your second trimester you will be most likely to tolerate travel days and sightseeing and enjoy the food and activities you want to experience
3. Pick a location and check with the airline!
If you are booking a flight, check with the airline to ensure that you meet their criteria for flying. Some airlines will refuse boarding to any individual who is more than X weeks pregnant (it can vary depending on the airline). We have seen a couple forcibly removed from a flight in Greece because of being too close to her due date. It may be safest to carry a letter from your doctor verifying how far along you are so that you don't run into any problems.
Depending on the time of year, the length of your trip and your interests your options are almost endless. Make sure you consult the CDC website to make sure your potential destination is zika free and consider things like length of the flight, altitude and weather at your destination and the most convenient place to look for accommodations.
For our first babymoon we opted to go to Europe for 2 weeks in the fall. We chose locations that were a little cooler and stayed in more central locations so that we could go back to our hotel for a siesta if my energy was low.
For our second babymoon we opted for a weekend getaway sans toddler. It was the winter and ideally we wanted to go somewhere warm, but Zika really limited our options. Instead we chose New York City and splurged for a hotel in Manhattan. We had thought about going to a winter resort like the Fairmont Chateau Montebello but my husband brought up a good point - I couldn't enjoy the hot tub and was I really wanting to cross country ski or snowshoe while 28 weeks pregnant? Which brings me to my next point...
Skating in Central Park during our second babymoon (28 weeks pregnant)
4. Plan the right activities
You will probably want to avoid extreme activities like parasailing and downhill skiing and you may not feel comfortable enough to do lots of walking or long days touring. Consider what kind of activities will make your babymoon enjoyable and relaxing.
During our second babymoon we focused on doing all the activities that we find hard to do with a toddler in tow: we enjoyed sleeping in, sipping hot coffee, having nice meals at the least kid friendly restaurants we could find and aimlessly wandering the city without stopping at any parks :). Make sure you give yourself lots of extra time to rest, especially if you find your energy tends to wane at the end of the day, and enjoy the quiet, adult only time.
5. Make it special
This may well be your last adult only trip for a little while. Make sure you plan something special whether it's splurging on a nice hotel, going out for a fancy meal or getting pampered at the spa. And most of all, ENJOY!
You will probably want to avoid extreme activities like parasailing and downhill skiing and you may not feel comfortable enough to do lots of walking or long days touring. Consider what kind of activities will make your babymoon enjoyable and relaxing.
During our second babymoon we focused on doing all the activities that we find hard to do with a toddler in tow: we enjoyed sleeping in, sipping hot coffee, having nice meals at the least kid friendly restaurants we could find and aimlessly wandering the city without stopping at any parks :). Make sure you give yourself lots of extra time to rest, especially if you find your energy tends to wane at the end of the day, and enjoy the quiet, adult only time.
5. Make it special
This may well be your last adult only trip for a little while. Make sure you plan something special whether it's splurging on a nice hotel, going out for a fancy meal or getting pampered at the spa. And most of all, ENJOY!