Hellobee

I’m a big fan of the babymoon. A babymoon is akin to a honeymoon, except typically taken before a baby arrives. It’s generally viewed as a time to connect, relax, and enjoy activities that may be on pause for awhile after baby comes. Like honeymoons, babymoons can range wildly based on the interests and lifestyle of the couple.

Three years ago when I was pregnant with Ohana, Missus Scooter and I took a babymoon. Now I am 28 weeks along with our second baby and we just returned from another. I am feeling refreshed, recharged, reconnected. In other words, I really needed it!

B A B Y M O O N  #  1

During my first pregnancy, our lifestyle was a lot different than present day. Both Missus Scooter and I were working full time (lots of disposable income), we had no children or major obligations beyond our dog, we were very active physically and we had five years of extensive yearly travel in our repertoire. When our yoga studio announced a week-long retreat to Tulum, Mexico, we didn’t hesitate for a minute! Tulum is about 80 miles outside of Cancun, along the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula on the Caribbean Sea. Tulum is small and secluded and breathtakingly gorgeous. It has miles of white sand beaches dotted with small hotels, restaurants, and boutiques. The only downside is travel to Tulum from Sacramento is just about an all-day affair (7 hours in flights, and 1.5 hours in bus travel from the Cancun airport).

We went in January 2012, when I was ~27 weeks. We stayed at a resort called Maya Tulum that caters to yoga and wellness retreats. They have a spa on site and a fabulous restaurant where meals are provided. The rooms are thatched roof cabanas and while deluxe, the property has a rustic feel (no televisions, phones, or alarm clocks in sight). Yoga was offered twice per day (we typically went once) and Missus Scooter took daily kite boarding lessons. Beyond this “schedule,” we filled our days with napping, reading, laying in the sun, walks on the beach, and eating. I went to bed no later than 8pm each evening. Additionally, many of our friends from our yoga studio went on this trip so we had a nice balance of alone time and social time. In short, it was utterly fabulous.

B A B Y M O O N  #  2

This time around, we have a 2 ½ year old toddler that we have left overnight less than a handful of times. We toyed with the idea of taking a week-long vacation with the stipulation that we would be taking her. We don’t have in-laws, family, or a nanny that can travel with us, so that would have meant a wonderful family vacation but not exactly a babymoon. After a little debate, we decided on a 2-night/3 day getaway for just the Missus and I. We talked about when and where and I had a few criteria:

• Close location. I was okay with a short plane/car ride but I didn’t want to spend a large chunk of my valuable 3 days traveling.
• I didn’t want to go anywhere too late in my pregnancy because I wanted to have energy and also wanted to steer way clear of my due date. Conversely, I didn’t want to go too early in pregnancy because I wanted the residual effects to last as long through my third trimester as possible!
• Warm weather. It’s winter and one of the things I loved the most about our first babymoon to Mexico was the warmth! Being in a bikini (albeit 7 months pregnant) felt so extravagant in the middle of January.
• A lot to offer. Being that we had a limited time, I had a lot I wanted to do on this babymoon! I definitely wanted to relax and maybe get a nap in, but I also wanted the option to do other things: go out to a variety of restaurants, see a movie, get some physical exercise. I might not have done all these things, but I wanted the opportunity.
• Within our budget. With a short trip, I knew the damage wasn’t going to be outrageous, but at the same time I didn’t feel we needed to be overly extravagant with our spending.

In the end, we decided to go to Scottsdale, Arizona. I was 28 weeks along. We flew into the Phoenix airport, a 2-hour flight from Sacramento. We stayed at the W Hotel, which is walking distance to all of the restaurants, bars, and happenings in old town Scottsdale. I had been to Scottsdale several times before so I knew the vibe was what we were looking for, and I figured it would be warm enough to lay by the pool.

Our flights were $200 each and our hotel was booked on reward points. We created a $700 “spending money” budget, which we actually overspent by $100 (how did this happen in 2 days??). We did not rent a car, as the airport is only 20 minutes away from Scottsdale and everything else was in walking distance. The trip, in total, cost us approximately $1200.

During this baby moon, we both finished reading a full book, ate some of the best meals we’ve had, slept in both mornings, laid by the pool, went to yoga together, I got a massage, Missus went to crossfit, and walked around old town. We even had adult time more than once. What?? We talked about going to a movie both nights but we both agreed reading in the room sounded much better by the time 9pm rolled around. The one thing I wish we would have done was bring hiking clothes/shoes because an afternoon hike on Camelback Mountain would have been beautiful.

Ohana stayed with her godparents whom she adores, and they even took care of our dog and gave us a ride to the airport (bonus)!! In other words, we went away feeling no stress about things at home.

Upon returning from both babymoon trips, I felt the usual effects of a vacation. This recent babymoon, however, felt more impactful than the first even though our trip was much shorter and much less extravagant. Being pregnant the second time around is (for me) such a different experience. The first time around was so much more romantic and I had all the free time I wanted to take care of myself in whatever ways I needed. Life now is generally more stressful, and as mothers, I know I’m not alone when I say the notion of consistent free time is laughable! Beyond that, Missus Scooter and my relationship is different too. With limited free time comes limited time to connect in ways we used to. I have barely given myself time to think about this new baby coming beyond how it will affect Ohana and our family dynamics. But from the moment we boarded the plane, it was like my whole demeanor changed. I was relaxed and ready to be lighthearted with my wife! This sounds so simple but on a daily basis this doesn’t happen often. We really had a wonderful time on this trip and I think it’s because we really appreciated and savored the time we had as a gift. We couldn’t have done this the first time around because we didn’t have the perspective of having a child yet.

All in all, I highly recommend a babymoon, in whatever way speaks to you!

Did you take a babymoon and was it all you wanted it to be? What tips do you have for planning an awesome pre-baby trip?