Planning a Babymoon & Flying During Pregnancy…

If you are pregnant and planning a babymoon the best time to go away is in the second trimester, hopefully by this point morning sickness will have settled down and your energy levels will have picked back up. It is so nice, if you get the chance to make the most of being a two before baby makes an appearance. I flew to Iceland with my husband for a mini break when I was 26 weeks pregnant. For me this was the perfect time as I wasn’t too big and after having felt so exhausted during the first trimester this had all gone away and I felt ‘normal’ with lots of energy!

Looking for ideas on where to head? The Telegraph has a great article: 10 idyllic and off-beat destinations for the perfect babymoon and BabyMoon Travel have lots of destination suggestions along with useful tips.

First things first check the airline you are flying with as they often have different regulations regarding pregnancy. With British Airways for example you can fly up to the end of 36th week if expecting one baby, if twins or more its the end of the 32nd week. They recommend carrying a letter from your doctor or midwife to say you are fit to fly and have an uncomplicated pregnancy. Head here for more information on this: BA – Flying when you’re pregnant. On the other hand with EasyJet as long as you have had no complications you can fly up to the end of week 35 for single pregnancies and week 32 if expecting twins or more: Flying with easyJet during pregnancy.

Having booked your flight make sure you check-in online and choose your seat, you can pay for some seats if you fancy a bit of extra legroom, but remember you can’t sit in emergency exit seats if you are pregnant. Pick an aisle seat to make it easier to get out to use the bathroom. This is always my choice and even though I work for an airline something I get worried about in advance, especially now being pregnant; I hate the thought of being stuck in a window seat and desperately needing to get out to go to the toilet about five times in a row! Having said that, when we flew to Iceland with EasyJet we paid extra for front bulkhead seats and I picked a middle and window seat as I knew there would be room for me to get past the person sat on the aisle. These seats are brilliant as you get to bring an extra piece of hand luggage as well as being entitled to speedy boarding. Well worth the money!

Here are a few tips to help plan your babymoon:

•  If you can plan to travel during the second trimester.

• Remember to pack your pregnancy notes and vitamins.

• Check out local hospitals/doctors in the area you will be staying.

• Make sure you are covered for anything pregnancy related on your travel insurance.

• Do you need vaccinations?

• There are a few foods you can’t eat during pregnancy so it might be worth bearing in mind depending on your destination.

Tips for flying:

•  If like me you need to keep hunger at bay by eating little and often pack plenty of snacks for the journey!

• It may sound obvious but get up and move around during the flight to keep your circulation going and to give your legs a good old stretch.

• Ask for an aisle seat to make it easier to get out to use the bathroom and for leg stretching.

• Stay hydrated; I always buy tons of water in the terminal because I’m obsessed with staying hydrated! Coconut water is a good one too.

• Pack a nice hand cream and lip moisturiser like Vaseline or Carmex as flying can really dry your skin out.

• Wear comfy clothes. Leggings and layers are my preferred choice of clothing right now. Comfort is the key, especially on a longhaul; I like to wear a couple of thin layers, as like most Mums to be I get hot very easily!

Any babymoon and pregnancy tips of your own?  Please add them in the comments below…