So today on the blog I want to talk about baby mooning and traveling while pregnant, because it’s such an amazing thing and a welcomed break from the stresses of pregnancy.

Don’t know what a baby moon is? It’s basically a trip that parents-to-be take to have one last private getaway before the new addition comes

If you’re currently pregnant (especially with your first) and you have the time and the means, I HIGHLY suggest that you go take a baby moon. It was suggested to me by several  folks both on social media and IRL and I can’t tell you how happy I am that we did it! If you haven’t read my baby moon blog or seen the vlog, you totally should after you read this (It’s quality content!).

But I know that many women have a lot of concerns about traveling while pregnant–I totally get that. So I wanted to take some time to address common concerns and share with you everything that I learned through my experience of traveling while pregnant and baby mooning.

Is Traveling Safe While Pregnant?

Short answer: Yes, absolutely.

However, this all depends on how your pregnancy is going and how you are doing personally.

I did six major road trips and eight flights during my pregnancy, all the way out to 7 months and was completely fine up until my cervix started dropping (completely unrelated to travel).

My suggestion here would be to check in with your provider before all major trips to make sure that you and baby are up for it. 

Is There A Cut Off Date To Travel?

This depends on how your pregnancy is going personally and the mode of transportation you are taking.

For me, I had to stop all travel at 7 months because I was 2.8 cm dilated. But that’s not normal. Chances are you’ll be able to travel way past then.

Again, it’s always best to check in with your provider first. Many providers don’t want their mommies traveling past 36 weeks because at this stage, the baby could decide to come at any point.

Many airlines also restrict travel for pregnant women to 36 weeks. Make sure to check in with you airline about the policy for pregnancy passengers

Cruises often have a cut off date at 27 weeks. This is because they can spend a long time between ports and can’t risk you going into labour at sea. So if you’re looking to take a babymoon by the ocean, go sooner rather than later.

Are There Places I Shouldn’t Go?

Defiantly so. But the good news is, there’s more places you can go than can’t. Again, always make sure to check with your provider before you book your vacation, but be sure to check W.H.O. and the CDC too. These organizations are constantly updating their sites and will tell you all about the high risk areas for susceptible populations (pregnant women and children).

They will also give you helpful tips on the best times to travel to certain locations and prevention steps you can take to keep yourself and your family health.

From my epidemiology days, my advice would be to not vacation in areas when mosquitoes are in season a long side an outbreak. They are a vector for many diseases and the last thing you want is to get sick when your immune system is already weak.

Another place to check would be the state department. The state department will provide you with information about local events in other countries and if its recommended or not for their citizens to travel to certain places. Especially if you’re considering traveling to a different country that in political turmoil or that has tension with your own country, I would read these recommendations first before traveling.

What Should I Bring With Me?

A copy of your providers information is a must. During one of my many travels during pregnancy, I got sick. However the local clinic was easily able to coordinate treatment for me and baby Edison with my midwife.

Along with this, you’ll also want your insurance card and emergency cash or an HSA card. Emergencies can happen while you’re on vacation (Edison’s little cousin was born while his parents were vacationing!) so

I also carried a hot water bottle wherever I went. Especially for longer flights and road trips, your back might become prone to spasms, so the hot water bottle will help you relax.

A firm neck pillow is also a great thing to bring, as it can double as bump support while you sleep at night.

Emergency snacks and water is also another must. While it’s not true that you have to eat for two when pregnant, your body expends a lot of energy to develop the fetus. So if you’re out and being active, chances are you might get light headed and dehydrated quickly. Having food and H2O on hand will help you avoid that.

When Is the Best Time To Travel?

This will all depend on how your pregnancy is going. I personally didn’t experience any morning sickness or much discomfort so I had no problems traveling all of the 7 months that I could.

For most women, the best time to travel during your pregnancy is during your second trimester, as this is suppose to be the easiest ad safest of the 3.  We took our babymoon when I was around 4 months a long.

Can I Travel Internationally?

This question is highly debated. It really comes down to your and the baby’s overall health. So, as always, check in with your provider and let them know your plans.

But generally speaking, I say absolutely– so long as you’re prepared. We took our babymoon in Canada but also traveled to Mexico during my pregnancy. Both times, we talked to our midwife and checked recommendations from the CDC and state department. We also looked up local clinics, made sure to bring emergency cash and insurance card and made sure we understood the local policies for receiving medical attention if need be.

Are Long Car Rides/ Flights Okay?

Most providers find long car trips to be okay, so long as you stop every two hours to stretch, get your blood circulating and to use the bathroom.

When I was pregnant, I was making frequent road trips and other than the insane need to pee all the time, I had no problems with it. My only other suggestion would be to make sure to have 24 hour roadside assistants. That way-God forbid- if your car breaks down or starts to have issues while you’re on the road, you’ll having towing (and in some cases, a rental) already covered.

As for long flights, you’ll want to check with your provider on that. I have known many women to fly 10 hours+ while pregnant and have no issues. But if you’re having a high risk pregnancy, your provider may want you to stay more near.

If you do happen to be taking a flight longer than two hours, make sure to get up and stand every two hours or so (when it’s safe to do so of course) and be sure to drink plenty of water as the recycled air will dehydrate you.

What Things Should You Avoid Doing On Your Trip?

Most providers would consider moderate, low impact activities to be just fine to do while pregnant, so long as you’re healthy, low risk and up for it. Before my cervix dropped, I did a couple of hikes and some light swimming and it did my body good.

However, extreme activities, or actives that can have a high impact on the body such as jet skiing, skating, intense trails, horse back riding, diving and most rollercoasters should be off limits.  This is because actives such as these can cause a hard impact on your body should something go wrong and severally injure you or your baby.

I swear that I sound like a parrot for saying this, but the best practice here is really to chat with your healthcare provider and see what actives they do and don’t recommend for you. And as always, exscerise your best judgment.

Traveling Is NOT An Option For Me; What Else Can We Do?

As much as I love to jet set, the reality is, not all pregnant women can travel. As I have mentioned a few times, my travel plans were cut short when we discovered my cervix was 2.8 cm’s dilated at 7 months. I was put on bed rest “restricted activity” and had to stay put in the little town that I live in.

For people in situations this, I highly suggest then to do a staycation for your babymoon. Staycations are awesome because you get all the benefits of a vacation, while not having to go very far.

For our staycation (since it was replacing our traditional Christmas travel), we ended up inviting family over to our home and toured local wineries and restaurants and then stayed a night at a waterfront hotel.

It was a wonderful option and defiantly lifted my spirits! If you find yourself needing to do a staycation instead, just make sure you don’t go too far out of town. Ask your provider whats the farthest you can travel. Most providers will okay travel that within 45 minutes to 1 hour from where your clinic is.

I know that traveling while pregnant can be a scary thing. There are so many unknowns to watch out for and things to clear with your provider first. But even with all that, I feel that traveling is still one of the best things you can do for yourself and your family.

Traveling will always expend your well of knowledge, and traveling while pregnant will provide you and your partner a much needed break to help clear your heads and relax your souls before baby comes!

This post was a bit long, but I do hope that it did give you some valuable information, tips and things to think about before you take off on your vacation.

So will you be babymooning? And if so, where do you plan to go?

Or have you already gone on your babymoon? What advice do you have to share?

Let me know below!

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