Finding out that your family is about to get a little bigger with the addition of a child can be exhilarating and exciting. It can also be nerve racking, or sometimes all of these feelings mixed into one. One great way to prepare for your baby’s arrival is, interestingly enough, to take a vacation. This may sound like nonsense because, after all, shouldn’t you be solely focusing on dressing up the nursery, buying all the necessities and clothes, researching what to do (and what not to) when your baby is finally here, and making sure your finances are good to go?
Well, yes, you should do all of these things and more, but you should also make sure to take time out of your schedule to relax with your partner and mentally prepare for your expanding family. One way to do this is through a romantic vacation, particularly speaking, a babymoon in the Caribbean. But what exactly is a babymoon, and why choose the Caribbean? Below we will cover the best Caribbean islands for Babymoons and discuss Babymoon Caribbean packages as well. To find out all this and more, continue reading.
What is a babymoon
A play on the word ‘honeymoon’, a babymoon is a vacation or getaway that a couple takes before their new little one is born. Essentially, a babymoon is an adult’s only trip. This vacation, due to the expectant mother’s condition, is a relaxing one that focuses on doing as little as possible while spending valuable time together. In fact, lots of couples deem their babymoon to be the last vacation they’ll take alone before becoming a bigger family unit.
Babymoons have become so popular however, that parents are opting to take a babymoon before their second and third children as well. The first born is left with family members while parents are able to relax one last time before the new family member arrives. In case you were curious, we do have an article about the best Caribbean islands for honeymoons, and it might help you choose an island for a babymoon as well.
When should you go on a babymoon
Because the safety of the expectant mother is a primary concern, there is a certain ‘time frame’ that a babymoon should be taken. Because you’ll be flying out to the Caribbean, you’ll want to wait until after the 12 week scan is complete and the mother is said to be healthy enough for travel, especially flying. However, you don’t want to wait too long to take your babymoon and should have your trip within the second trimester.
Things to consider when planning your babymoon
When planning a babymoon, anywhere throughout the world, you’ll want to make sure to keep a few things in mind. Firstly, you’ll want to make sure that wherever you stay, you’re close to some sort of healthcare provider, just in case a complication should arise. Going along with this, you’ll want to check to make sure that you have the proper health insurance all set up before you leave on your babymoon. The last thing you’ll want to deal with is a mess of insurance claims should something happen, which, we must point out, is very unlikely.
Why a couple should go on a babymoon
There are many reasons a couple should take a babymoon, but perhaps the most important one is the chance to strengthen your bond and truly relax while discussing the big life changing event of having a child. Though the majority of a year sounds like plenty of time to be with one another alone before a child is born, it goes by a lot faster than you would think. And most of this time couples are working their regular jobs, while adding in extra hours of work by getting a house prepped for a baby. With so much to do, it’s hard to find time to truly just enjoy each other’s company.
A babymoon allows you the freedom to just be with one another by taking you both out of and away from your normal daily life, even if just for a long weekend. This break can help you refocus your thoughts, and in turn, help you to not only be a better partner during a hectic time of your life, but also a more relaxed person in general. Because of the slow moving pace of the Caribbean, it’s easy to adapt to a more relaxed mindset here compared to anywhere else.
Why babymoon in the Caribbean
There are plenty of amazing locations to sort through when thinking about a babymoon. From the mountains in the north, to far off exotic cities in Asia, to bustling towns in Europe, you can pretty much go anywhere and have a great time. The Caribbean however, seems to be one of the best locations for a babymoon. Why is this? Sunny days, clear waters, and mild temperatures are a norm for the Caribbean, pretty much throughout the entire year. This excellent weather makes it easy to vacation here, as well as pack light. The Caribbean is also home to a never ending amount of relaxation possibilities. Because you don’t want to spend your time tackling long hikes, or trying to find your way through crowds of people as they accidentally walk right into you, the Caribbean allows you the chance to unwind and do a whole lot of nothing.
This is because of the overwhelming amount of all-inclusive hotels and resorts that dot the Caribbean islands as well as the miles upon miles of white sand beaches and calm shores. And of course we can’t forget to mention the plethora of spas available, in addition to outdoor swimming pools lined with palm trees and sun loungers. All in all, the Caribbean is a fantastic location, if not the best, to babymoon simply because here you and your partner can just be. There are no exceptions or guidelines on what needs to be done each day of your stay, only that you enjoy existing without a to-do list for just a while as you enjoy life on island time.
However, if you decide that you don’t want to take a flight down into the Caribbean and rather stay on the mainland, you should consider a romantic trip to Key West and the Florida Keys instead, where you’ll still be able to easily unwind.
All-inclusive or not
Depending on how much you personally like to explore outside of a hotel, an all-inclusive resort may be the way to go. Actually, most expectant mothers choose to stay at an all-inclusive resort because of the ease that comes with it. At an all-inclusive, you’ll have everything right at your finger tips including dining options, a beach, a swimming pool, a gym, a pool, a spa with treatment and massage options, and little extras in your room. And because everything is already included in your nightly rate, you won’t have to carry your wallet around and pay for each thing separately.
If you rather not have everything paid for at once, there are some great resorts and hotels that you don’t have to do so. Even if you do choose an all-inclusive babymoon however, you’ll still have the freedom to venture outside of your chosen resort and partake in area excursions, sight seeing activities, and tours. You should be able to find Caribbean babymoon packages when choosing a hotel and flight.
What islands should you babymoon on
Currently, there are still some Zika advisories for certain parts of the Caribbean, so for the time being, we won’t recommend that pregnant women travel to those islands. The good news is however, that there are plenty of great Caribbean destinations that have been deemed safe to travel to. These include Bermuda, St. Barts, Martinique, the Cayman Islands, Guadeloupe, and the Bahamas.
Luckily, these islands are fantastic choices for pretty much any type of vacation, from a babymoon to a honeymoon. The island of Bermuda is a great choice for babymooners who are looking for an island experience, but don’t necessarily want to be in the middle of the Caribbean sea and its higher temperatures. Here you will find higher prices for everything, but you’ll also notice that luxury is the norm, and not something extra. Instead it’s expected.
If you love the idea of being on a Caribbean island where most people, locals and visitors, speak French, then you’ll want to look deeper into a visit to the island of Martinique. This beautiful Caribbean island features white sand beaches and green mountain backdrops, which helps to make it one of the most photogenic beach scenes in the world.
Perhaps one of the most popular countries within the Caribbean, the Bahamas offer lots of islands to explore with Grand Bahama and New Providence (Nassau) being two of the more popular choices. Both islands offer lots to do and see, while also beckoning with long stretches of white sand beaches and endless spots to sit down on a blanket and watch the waves passively lap the shore.