Welcoming baby will shake up life as you know it. It’s only natural to want to soak in the time you have left with your partner before baby arrives on the scene. One way to make the most of this quiet moment: plan a babymoon. But exactly what is a babymoon? Basically, it’s a play on the honeymoon couples take after their wedding; a babymoon is a vacation that’s taken before expectant parents start a new chapter with baby. But, during pregnancy, there are a few things to consider before you can go jetting off on a trip. So how can you go about planning a babymoon? And what should you take into account when choosing a destination? Here, we it all down into a few easy steps and consideration.

Step 1: Set a Babymoon Budget

The best way to get started on babymoon planning is to set a budget. This can then inform where you go for your trip and for how long. While it may seem like a requirement according to social media, a babymoon doesn’t have to be an extravagant affair. The average cost of a babymoon can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, depending on your circumstances. Financially, you’re already planning for baby’s arrival—and it’s no secret that all that baby gear can add up. Take your existing finances and any planned future expenses (like hospital bills after birth) into account before you decide on your babymoon budget.

Step 2: Choose a Babymoon Destination

Just like with any other vacation, think about how you want to spend your time. Are you feeling adventurous and looking to explore a new place? Or would you rather spend time relaxing on a beautiful beach? Odds are, this will likely depend on how you’re feeling during pregnancy.

Another consideration when picking a destination is how far from home you feel comfortable being. Maybe you have a pregnancy condition that requires you to stay within driving distance from your provider. Or perhaps you’re welcoming a second or third child and want to be close by for your other kiddos. “Go somewhere you’re comfortable traveling to—it doesn’t have to be a grand trip out of the country,” suggests Miranda Morrissey, an onboarding specialist at ResortPass. “It’s no secret new moms, especially first-time moms, are nervous about everything when it comes to their unborn children, so the last thing you want to do is stress over your health and safety.”

Additionally, think about how long of a trip you want to take overall (including travel days), as well as what the weather conditions might be like depending on where and when you’re going. Plus, before picking a destination, it’s important to discuss your plans with your provider to get their medical guidance. These include any vaccination recommendations, as well as how to mitigate risks for infections such as Zika or gastroenteritis, says Talia Borgo, MS, CNM, WHNP, RN, clinical director at Millie Clinic.

Step 3: Ask Your Doctor About Travel Tips

It’s important to chat with your doctor about your babymoon travel plans not just to ensure it’s safe for you and baby, but also to get their travel tips. Below, Borgo and Morrissey list a few suggestions:

Understand the conditions that may preclude travel: Depending on your individual medical history, your provider may advise against traveling for a babymoon. Per the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)a, these include preeclampsia, risk of preterm labor and prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM). As Morrissey shares, due to some health issues, her provider advised against traveling during pregnancy so she could remain close by. Luckily, not being able to travel doesn’t mean you can’t take a babymoon—it just means you need to get a little more creative with a staycation or travel to a place within driving distance.
Research the closest hospital: No one ever wants to think about an emergency situation, but it’s best to be prepared. “It’s a good idea to know where the closest hospital with a labor and delivery unit is in the event that you need care,” Borgo says, adding you should also bring your prenatal medical records and any medications you’re currently taking with you. Plus, chat with your provider about what the red-flag symptoms are to look out for that might indicate a problem.
Prepare for the flight: Pregnancy can increase your chances of getting blood clots, so it’s important to keep moving when traveling via plane. During your flight, Borgo recommends wearing compression socks, staying hydrated and walking around every couple of hours.
Research airline policies: Most airlines will let you fly until 28 to 32 weeks of pregnancy, depending on whether you’re flying domestically or internationally. However, depending on whether you’re carrying a singleton or multiple pregnancy, some airlines may have additional restrictions for how late into your pregnancy they’ll allow you to fly with them.
Food safety: This list of foods to avoid in pregnancy is lengthy—and, while the FDA has strict guidelines in place for food quality and pasteurization in America, that may not be true for other countries. You’ll want to take extra care to avoid undercooked, unpasteurized and spoiled food on your travels. Plus, look into whether or not the local tap water is safe to drink or if you’ll need bottled water.
Don’t over do it: It can be tempting to see and do it all while on vacation, but use the babymoon as an opportunity to really slow down and rest. “Make sure your trip is still relaxing by doing things you enjoy and not packing your day full of adventure so you don’t overexert yourself,” Morrissey says. “Especially with the second kid, you could send me for a day by the pool with no responsibilities of tiny humans, and I would be in pure bliss.”

Step 4: Time Your Babymoon Well

Wondering when to go on a babymoon? Pregnancy can get uncomfortable, particularly in the first and last trimesters as you battle morning sickness and a growing bump, says Morrissey. For this reason, most experts advise traveling in your second trimester, when you feel your best. In fact, Borgo touts sometime between weeks 21 and 28 of pregnancy as the best time for a babymoon. “This is typically the time where the pregnant individual has the most energy and they’re past the big hurdles of testing and ultrasounds that happen during prenatal care,” she adds.

Step 5: Create Your Babymoon Packing List

As part of your babymoon planning, you’ll want to pack carefully to ensure you’ll have everything you need. In addition to your regular shoes, clothing and toiletries, you’ll want to be sure you have a few other essentials: According to Borgo and Morrissey, these include:

Current medications and prenatal vitamins
Prenatal medical records
Band-aids, Tylenol and a first-aid kit
Comfortable shoes for walking
A water bottle
A travel pillow or your pregnancy pillow

Step 6: Enjoy Your Babymoon

Once everything’s planned and booked, all that’s left to do is enjoy yourself! Whether you’re staying local with a staycation or going on a big trip, take this time to press pause, reflect and be present in this stage of your life. “Embrace this chapter of life with big changes and a world of firsts,” Morrissey says. “Do what truly makes you happy and relaxed because, as cheesy as it sounds, the best days are yet to come, and soon you’ll be creating those vacation memories with your little one.”

Planning a Babymoon Checklist

Below, we’ve outlined some helpful tips on how to plan your babymoon with a handy checklist:

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Babymoons are often seen as a “last hurrah” for couples and as a chance to focus on each other before welcoming a child into the world, Borgo says. But she encourages couples to ignore any societal pressure they feel around babymoons and instead focus on what feels right to them. “I always encourage my patients to prioritize joy during their pregnancy, so if that means taking a babymoon, then I’m all for it.”

Plus, more from The Bump:

The Best Babymoon Destinations (According to Real Parents)

These Are the Most Popular Babymoon Destinations in the World

Top Tips for Traveling While Pregnant

Travel During Pregnancy