The Importance of Taking a Babymoon—and 4 Tips for Organizing One

My initial babymoon plans were set in motion even before I discovered I was pregnant. For my 40th birthday in February, my wonderful husband, who sympathizes with my love for Taylor Swift, gifted us two tickets to her Eras Tour in Vienna, Austria. What we didn’t realize until he handed me the tickets he claimed to have “bought at a very reasonable price on the secondary market” was that I would be around 31 weeks pregnant by the time the concert rolled around in August.

Initially, this unexpected babymoon—a pre-baby getaway that serves as a final celebration for couples—felt like a fantastic idea. Perhaps we could fulfill my dream of an Italian babymoon and then catch Taylor's concert afterward! However, we were not only overly optimistic but also completely unaware that we were about to be hit with a series of unfortunate events that would lead to the cancellation of the Vienna shows. By the time the news broke about the thwarted terrorist attack that disrupted the plans of 200,000 attendees, we had already abandoned our overseas trip.

The Surprising Turbulence of a Babymoon

To start, I faced a subchorionic hematoma during my eighth week of pregnancy, which turned out to be a “common” issue for many expectant mothers. However, it made me cautious about travel plans involving journeys longer than 10 hours. After looking into flights from Italy to Austria, we scrapped the Eras plan and shifted our destination to the Mexican Riviera. Unfortunately, that's when I ended up in the hospital due to excruciating pregnancy complications.

The delay in our Cancun trip allowed us to visit my in-laws in Canada. It was within the warm embrace of their Ontario home that I tested positive for COVID. To complicate matters further, a hurricane was barreling toward the Yucatán Peninsula.

At that moment, it would have been logical to throw in the towel. Yet, I was resolute about making this babymoon happen. After a prolonged period of quarantine in Canada and a flurry of correspondence with our Mexico hotel, we successfully navigated both the figurative storm of my illness and the literal storm that had passed over Cancun, finally boarding our flight to paradise. And honestly? It was all totally worth it.

From the moment we landed in Cancun, the stress and anxiety that had been weighing on me for the past six months began to melt away. After a week of basking in the sun, swimming in the impossibly warm Caribbean waters, and enjoying countless frozen virgin margaritas, I felt more at ease and more connected to my pregnancy than ever. Without the pressures of work deadlines and medical appointments dictating my daily routine, I could truly appreciate the miraculous changes happening within me and connect with my husband in a way that didn’t revolve around our usual nightly TV marathons (although we cherish those, too).

Things to consider when planning a babymoon

1. Stay realistic.

My dreams of a romantic escape to Italy, followed by an epic three-and-a-half-hour live performance (standing only!) were dashed when I realized my body wouldn’t handle that kind of adventure so late in my pregnancy. A getaway is fantastic, but it can simply mean booking a room at the nearest five-star hotel or camping at a local site. You don’t have to collect airline miles to enjoy a memorable babymoon.

2. Ironically, an “adults-only” option is your best choice.

Sure, you’re about to welcome a new addition to your family, but that doesn’t mean you need to practice parenting by lounging by the pool with other people’s kids. We chose to stay at Hotel Mousai Cancun, a peaceful, upscale, adults-only resort that connects to the family-friendly Hotel Garza. This allowed us to enjoy the adorable babies and vibrant atmosphere before retreating to the calm of our adult sanctuary.

3. Don’t hold back.

I’m not shy about sharing that I’m celebrating a significant milestone. While my unreserved nature can sometimes embarrass my husband, it has also brought us some delightful perks. Don’t hesitate to inform your hotel concierge and other staff members that you’re on a babymoon. Many were excited to learn we chose their venue to celebrate our pre-baby festivities and were eager to add thoughtful little touches throughout our stay. Whether it was a special dessert or a generous late checkout, these extra details truly enhanced our experience.

4. Fully disconnect and relax.

As a self-employed freelancer, I often find myself tethered to my laptop, even while on vacation. My husband and I agreed that after the chaos we faced leading up to our trip, we deserved a complete escape from reality. Although it might not always be feasible to entirely unplug from our responsibilities, doing what we can to reduce distractions will help us fully enjoy the experience and create memories we can share with our baby in the future.