Our Unintentional Babymoon: top tips for a healthy, low waste vacation while pregnant
Wearing one of my favorite Brora dresses in Bellagio, Lake Como.
Rob and I unintentionally planned the most magical babymoon to Italy, Switzerland, France, and Scotland. I say “unintentionally” because we actually scheduled the trip before I was pregnant and it wasn’t meant to be a babymoon. While planning a trip to Scotland to visit our family and to meet our new baby niece, we decided to tack Italy, Switzerland, and France onto the agenda. We were in the thick of fertility treatments at the time we booked the trip and part of me hesitated at the thought of a two-week vacation. What if I had to go to the doctor while we were away? What if we missed a cycle?
Then, I realized that we couldn’t let the fertility journey get in the way of enjoying life NOW. The last thing I wanted was to look back and say that we spent years trying to get pregnant and missed out on all the other wonderful experiences life has to offer.
We went ahead and booked the trip with every intention to skip a cycle while away. Planning a trip was a great distraction and took our minds off the stress of trying to get pregnant. It gave us something really exciting to look forward to.
What we didn’t know was that I’d be in the perfect stage of pregnancy (the second trimester, passed first trimester sickness and before it gets too uncomfortable in the third) to travel. During my first trimester, starting week 5, I was hit with debilitating nausea and exhaustion from morning to night. I spent days in bed unable to move - all the ginger tea and ginger chews in the world couldn’t help me. I only wanted to eat bagels (which I ate daily!), matzoh ball soup, and crackers. I was nervous that these symptoms would never let up and I started to get super anxious about traveling. Luckily, at week 14, I started to feel so much better and was able to picture myself enjoying a babymoon.
Of course, whenever I travel, I bring my healthy, low waste lifestyle with us.
I shared 8 Hacks to Green Your Travel Routine with Nutritious Life last year and all of them still apply. Here’s a quick recap:
Bring your own utensils. This is particularly important when flying/in an airport and when you know you’re going to be out and about during the day. (Check out the AFC bamboo set here).
Bring your own snacks. This ensures that you have healthy food that will keep you feeling your best. Remember to snack naked :).
Bring your own tote bags, especially when you plan to go shopping!
Bring your own coffee cup & containers. Who doesn’t love a good cappuccino while abroad? And sometimes you want to save room for dessert and have lots of food leftover. Having a reusable cup allows you to grab coffee on the go (remember, it’s also enjoyable to sit down and enjoy your coffee!). And, having a jar for leftovers is always helpful so you avoid wasting food. I definitely waste more food when traveling because my schedule is less predictable, but it’s nice to have a few jars in case I want to take leftovers back to the hotel/apartment to eat later. (Check out my favorite reusable cups here).
Bring your own water bottle and filter. Rob and I each carry a water bottle with a filter everywhere so that we stay hydrated and feel confident filling up our water just about anywhere. The GoPure Pod filter is my favorite.
Bring your own shampoo, conditioner and soap. Some hotel chains are ditching travel size products, which is wonderful, but it’s going to take a while to phase out. You can always call the hotel ahead of time to ask! If travel sizes are the only option, bring your own to avoid having to use the products wrapped in plastic.
Pack light. Rob and I bring one suitcase for the two of us. The lighter the plane, the less fuel required. Plus, when pregnant and not lifting as much, your partner will thank you for packing light!
Offset your travels. Right before our trip, I donated to Cool Earth, an organization that is actively fighting deforestation and degradation all over the world. Using the Carbon Footprint website, you can easily calculate the carbon emissions of your trip and then offset your travels.
Even though I was feeling much better in my second trimester, as the trip approached I experienced some pre-travel anxiety because this was my first big trip while pregnant.
Here are a few additional tips for traveling while pregnant:
Travel Timing. The second trimester (weeks 14-28) is the best time to travel because, like I mentioned above, you’re likely to be over first trimester symptoms of nausea/vomiting/exhaustion, and not too big and uncomfortable, which comes later in pregnancy. They call the second trimester the “honeymoon period” of your pregnancy for a reason! I was 19 weeks when we left for our baby moon and it felt like the perfect time to get away; I finally didn’t feel sick and I had my energy back. Be sure to check with your doctor and airline before traveling. If you have certain conditions (i.e., preeclampsia), your doctor might advise you not to travel. And, some domestic airlines restrict travel at a certain point in the pregnancy or require a medical certificate if you’re traveling during your last month of pregnancy. International flights sometimes have a cut off as early as 28 weeks.
Comfort is key. For the plane, I wore my most comfortable outfit, which consisted of my favorite linen pants from Hatch, a white button down, and plenty of layers. I usually wear jeans or leggings, but didn’t want anything constricting me- loose clothes also helps prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Wearing lots of layers that you can take off and on is key. My temperature was all over the place during the flights! Usually, I find it quite easy to get comfortable on a plane, but my changing body made it more difficult during this trip. I accepted it and remained so grateful that I was pregnant and that we were traveling!
Get moving during the flight/trip. It’s important to move every 1.5 – 2 hours while flying when you’re pregnant because you’re at higher risk of developing DVT. (Staying hydrated and wearing loose clothing also helps prevent DVT). While getting up frequently makes it difficult to get comfortable or get meaningful sleep on the flight, it is what it is! I walked around the plane every 2 hours and also did some yoga stretches in my seat to stretch out my hips, neck and chest. It helps to get an aisle seat so you don’t have to disrupt a stranger often.
Skip the TSA scanners. Technically, the scanners are considered safe to use, but I opted for the pat-down instead. It made me feel better and it wasn’t a big deal at all. I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to communicate my desire for a pat-down in other countries, but we always found an English-speaking airport employee to talk to.
Eat light, snack often. I always advise being prepared to “snack naked” when travelling, and it’s even more important when pregnant. Eating too much at one time makes you more prone to experiencing pregnancy-related acid reflux and bloating (symptoms that are also more likely when traveling). Having smaller, more frequent snacks and meals helps prevent those symptoms. Fresh fruit and vegetables, homemade trail mix, and dried fruit are my go-to snacks.
Stay hydrated. This is important anytime we travel, but it’s particularly important when we’re pregnant and our hydration needs are increased. I always bring my reusable water bottle with me and have the flight attendant fill it up frequently. Yes, the attendant fills it up with water from a plastic water bottle, but I avoid the single use plastic cups by having my water bottle and I can keep track of how much I’m drinking.
Pre & Post Flight Yoga/Movement. It helps to get in a yoga class to stretch it all out before traveling. It’s also great to move once you arrive at your destination. A nice walk, yoga class, or my favorite Kait Hurley No Fuss Travel Workout online are all perfect options to get the body moving again (and fight jet lag).
Be careful with food, but don’t drive yourself insane. We want to enjoy the vacation and not worry so much about food, but we also want to be safe. The general dietary restrictions of avoiding raw, unpasteurized cheeses/milk/juice (cooked, hard cheeses are usually okay), raw/undercooked meats/fish/shellfish, unwashed fruits and vegetables, processed meats, raw, unpasteurized eggs (watch out for raw egg in salad dressings), and high mercury fish (shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tuna) still apply when traveling. Don’t be shy to ask questions and always use your senses and gut feelings. If something smells off or you’re just not feeling it, trust yourself!
Pack your vitamins & any other meds/remedies you might need. Making sure you keep up with your vitamin regime (I recommend a prenatal vitamin and omega-3 supplement for my pregnant clients) helps cover all your bases so you can relax a bit and enjoy local food. Do try to squeeze some veggies into your meals :) though.
Try to stay regular. Constipation is an issue for many pregnant women and travelling can exacerbate it! If you’re really backed up, make sure to stay hydrated and eat fiber rich fruits and vegetables. Prunes are amazing (and France has THE BEST prunes!) to keep you regular so see if you can get some while away. Staying active also helps.
Take it easy. It’s tempting to go go go go go when traveling, but it’s important to recognize that your body is changing and you have to roll with it. Usually Rob and I hit at least 30,000 steps a day when we travel, but I couldn’t keep up with our usual pace during our babymoon. We accepted it and planned lots of breaks throughout the day to make sure I felt okay.
I hope these resources help you feel confident when traveling on your babymoon. You deserve to enjoy every second of your travels! I highlighted this in the list above, but always check with your doctor regarding the timing and location of your travel!
After traveling to such wonderful places this year, I’ve finally begun to put together travel guides. Each one includes recommendations for fun activities, restaurants (with particular focus on vegetarian and vegan options), and reducing waste! My Guide to Edinburgh is LIVE and Stay tuned for my Guides to Lake Como, Milan, Nice, and Paris. Each Guide features eco-friendly activities/shops and vegan, plant-based, vegetarian eats!
Enjoying Gelato on a hot day in Lake Como.
On the ferry leaving Bellagio with Rob.