A Guide to Babymooning!

As I am writing this post, the 10 day countdown to my due date has officially begun. Although time seems to be standing still at this point, it really feels like only a few weeks ago that I was out of my first trimester and was able to really start enjoying my pregnancy.

We are extremely anxious to meet our little munchkin and I feel like he will complete this family unit. JR and I have been together for 16 years and I am sure it will be an adjustment to share each other with another little human, but it feels so right to bring a combination of the two of us into this world.

We booked our recent trip to Berlin a week before I found out I was pregnant, but I always knew that I wanted us to take a "Baby Moon" if I was lucky enough to conceive. I might have chosen more of a beachy get-away, but since the trip to see our family for Christmas was already booked, it was settled to babymoon in Germany!

Following are some tips on how to prepare and enjoy your last vacation before baby joins your family! 

TIMING

• When to book your travel will really depend on how you feel through each trimester of your pregnancy. I had a rough start and the best time would have been to travel in the middle of my second trimester. Since our vacation had been booked before I got pregnant, travel fell into my third trimester and I was definitely at the verge of being too tired for such a long flight and an agenda of activities.
• Always check with your physician before booking travel to ensure it is safe for you and your baby.
• If you plan on flying, check with the airline to find out about travel restrictions. The airline we used would not have let me fly after week 35 of my pregnancy.

DESTINATION

• This also falls under personal preference...I would have loved to have just lounged by a beach, but I also had a hard time with the heat at the beginning of my pregnancy, so being in a cooler climate was a relief.
• A sightseeing, city type of vacation might not be the best option - you will probably want to relax more so than walk around all day. But if you do choose sightseeing on your trip, opt for boat or bus tours so you can sit back and kick your feet up.
• It's also fun to choose a destination that you have always wanted to travel to. More than likely it might be a while before you can travel again, so check a location off your bucket list while you can!

TRAVEL

• Before leaving home, contact your health insurance company to ask about coverage while traveling. Especially if you travel outside of the country, find out about hospitals that you can visit in case of an emergency and how to submit the claims to your insurance. 
• If you end up flying to your chosen destination, bring compression socks for your flight. They will reduce the swelling in your feet and legs. 
• Stay hydrated! Yes, you will need to get up to use the bathroom constantly, but your physician will tell you to get up to walk around frequently, any ways. 
• Pack your favorite snacks - trail mix, granola bars, fruit etc...there is nothing worse than being mid-air and craving something they will not have on the plane!
• It's all about comfort! I packed a supportive foam pillow to sit on, since it was a longer flight and I knew my butt would be sensitive to sitting on a hard airplane seat. This helped SO much!

Hope you enjoyed these tips and pictures from our very special Baby Moon!
This may be my last post for a while...until then - Love,
Lena