We travelled out of Dubai just after our 20th week anatomy scan and the timing could not have been better. My energy was at it’s peak; it was right in the sultry summer months but hey, we din’t care about it. We just wanted to make the most of our last couple-only trip. Coming from the deserts of Dubai, the epic beauty in the Swiss Alps makes our hearts and souls absolutely jolly!
Our second trip was to India for our traditional baby shower with the families, in the 6th month. This was a relatively easier trip as we were going to home. But the excitement of travelling with a bump is something else.
Here are some pointers on travelling with a bump:
1. Plan ahead – Talk to your OBGYN well in advance if you are planning for a baby moon or travel in general. He/ She will eventually be the one clearing you off to travel so trust them and let them know what you wish to do. As much as possible avoid travelling in the first 12 weeks.If you are not first time parents, think about your other kids – it would be best to arrange for them to live with grand parents or trusted friends for a couple of days while you and your partner get some time alone.
2. Luggage – Keep it as light as you can! Remember, your better half is going to be carrying everything around so make sure he is comfortable with how much you stuff in. Carry only basic essentials. You can always hand wash clothes where possible to avoid carrying too much. Also ensure to carry plenty of healthy snacks and dry fruits. Carry tiny pouches to keep this in your hand bag every day. You don’t always find edible food as and when you please. Carry your own water bottle and fill it up wherever possible – highly recommend this. Carry covers like a hat, shades, stoles – these are versatile and ensure you are “covered” in all situations.
3. Modes of transport – I believe all modes of transport are safe for you during pregnancy. Just make sure to check with your doc. Some women are prevented from driving, water transport etc. Airport scanners are absolutely safe for pregnant women, don’t stress about it. Some airports might allow you to skip walking through if you are uncomfortable. My sister-in-law did some very long road trips throughout her pregnancy and it was absolutely delightful to see her enjoy every journey.
picture credits: Silvester Clifferd
4. Where to go – this is totally up to you and your partner. Let your instinct direct this – if it’s the mountains calling, the beach or just a resort you’ve always wanted to visit.
- You & I, in this beautiful world
5. Stay – We’ve been Air BnB travellers but for the baby moon, we wanted to stick to hotels. The main reason was I wanted air conditioning facilities, as I wasn’t too sure how hot I would get. I preferred having the flexibility.
6. Proximity to healthcare facilities – Extremely crucial while planning the baby moon. In most cases, like my own, this was irrelevant in retrospect. But I’m sure if there was an emergency or if the need would have presented itself, we would have struggled for sure. I was just reassured staying in cities where healthcare facilities were easily available, not saying that we chose to stay right next to a hospital :-p
7. Itinerary – Even if you are seasonedtravellers, the bump makes you consider a few additional situations before you getaway. Make sure you don’t plan a packed itinerary. Give ample time for travel, and rest. Try not to plan entire day away from the hotel room, split the time between mornings and evenings out. Let this be the time to relax, bond with the bump and spend quality time with your partner.
8. Climate – Do remember that generally during pregnancy, the body tends to heat up quite quickly. Remember to keep this into consideration, even if you haven’t felt it yet. Try not to get into extremely high or low temperatures. Of course, you need to remember to keep yourself hydrated – even more while travelling.
9. Travel documents – Make sure to get a travel certificate from your doctor. Though it is not mandatory on all airlines, they do randomly ask for a doctor’s certificate, especially if your bump is clearly visible. Also carry your previous medical reports. In case of any emergency, you would not want to be with no past records for any medical professionals to look at.
10. Clothing – What you wear is always important but even more so during pregnancy. Layering always makes it easy to peel off, than carrying around cover ups.
11. Be flexible – Make your plans very fluid. If you are not able to pick yourself up on a particular day or if you need an extended break during the day, let your itinerary be flexible enough to do that. Don’t pack in way too much and ensure your travel partner is onboard with your plans
12. Souvenirs – we managed to pick up some little souvenirs for the baby to remind us of our baby moon, and not the cliched fridge magnets.
13. Smile, Enjoy! – Every pregnancy is different.. every baby is different. Make sure to always keep smiling, no matter what complications or troubles you might be facing.
Bon voyage:)
Read my post of general lifestyle tips during a pregnancy here. I’m in the process of writing our voyage tales in detail, which I’ll make sure to link here.
Love,
Dee
PS: I would love to hear feedback from you other lovely mommas out there
*Disclaimer – this is a blog post based on my own experiences during my pregnancy. Please consider that every body, and every pregnancy is unique and what I’ve mentioned may or may not be applicable to you. Follow me on social media now!
Papa says awesome!!
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this is so cool Deepika, I couldn’t travel much while I was pregnant, low pressure, constant hunger, and insomnia to be blamed.
Totally understand. I guess I got lucky with not too many symptoms 😊
I so love this! These tips are so to the point and very very useful ! Subscribing to your blog right away 🙂
I blog at chirpytales.com … 🙂
I was lucky enough to travel extensively for the first couple of trimesters, your post took me back to happy times 🙂
Babymoon! If a couple can, they must go on a trip together before their lives are turned upside down by the baby hehe.
Great tips.
[…] read my other posts on lifestyle and travel during […]
I planned a trip to be taken during my second trimester, but felt so unsure and scared being my first pregnancy. Ended up cancelling. It’s great that you have listed out all the things needed when planning such a vacation. I am sure there will be other pregnant mothers looking for this information.
That’s a good way to enjoy pregnancy! I was a fool, as I just worked during pregnancy.
I was also working full time till the day I went into labour 😊
kudos to you girl for planning this trip in the midst of your pregnancy. And kudos to your husband for being so enthusiastic about it himself. Loved the pics!
Thank you 😊
I happened to travel during my 20th week too.. my bump wasn’t quite evident then.. n we went for a staycation babymoon when I was 32 weeks pregnant. 🙂
That’s lovely!!
We also had planned for a babymoon but for some reasons couldn’t go. This is an extensive list of tips for those travelling with the bump!
Thank you!!
I remember taking a road journey during my 5th month and it was a different time and feeling altogether. I really liked your post, it’s quite detailed and will be really helpful for parents planning a trip during pregnancy. Thanks for sharing it. And all the pics are super cute with that bump 🙂
Thanks for sharing that
This is such a comprehensive and well thought out list. I’ll be sure to keep this pointers in mind the next time around, with the bump;)
Thank you!
That’s some great tips shared here. Travelling during pregnancy is surely a fun way to gather wonderful memories. Loved seeing your beautiful pictures. Good luck!
Thank you so much!
This is one thing that I will miss for lifetime, not able to go for babymooning. We had everything planned but did not get a green signal fro my gynac. I liked all the important points covered in the post
Maybe the next time around? But don’t worry mama, you can always compensate now with the baby 😊
This is aweseome! I was lucky to travel a lot through my pregnancy too! Sticking to a list like you have mentioned is what made it happen actually!
How beautiful is ur bump in the plane pic. I firmly believe in baby moons. Sadly we could only stay cation during my pregnancy but we still made sure we had tons of fun.
That’s wonderful too! And thank you 😀
What a refreshing post. We travelled when I was just 8 weeks and that was the worst possible time we could have picked what with the morning sickness and everything. But next time, (if and when there is one :P) we will plan something around 20 weeks and I will keep these in mind! Sharing! 🙂
Hehe I can imagine. The first trimester isn’t always pleasant! Hopefully next time around 😀