Nurtured 9’s Tips To Help You Prep for A relaxing Babymoon

Sure, there are times during pregnancy that all you want to do is lay on the couch in sweatpants and binge-watch Bravo (guilty as charged!). But we strongly encourage traveling while you can! It won’t be long before your already seemingly daunting packing list doubles—no, triples—when baby is born. So embrace your ability to pack more clothes and less diapers (for now)! Plus, it’s a great time to adventure and connect with your partner one on one. Whether it’s an official babymoon (which everyone should do!), a transcontinental affair or a weekend getaway, don’t stress about your packing list. We are here to help with our babymoon packing list, so you can have a restful and relaxing vacation even before you leave!

This is what to pack:

Clothing

Bring these pregnancy travel must-haves no matter where you’re going:

Cozy pajamas (over-sized or maternity) and a happy robe
Cute but comfy undergarments (I love to travel with one or two cute sports bras. If I get the sudden urge to exercise, I’m covered, but if I don’t, they always feel nice and an interesting strap or detail looks edgy under a normal tank.)
Joggers that you can dress up or down (A double-duty item. If I want to work out, great. If not, these look equally as stylish with a nice sweater and cool kicks.)
Flat, comfy shoes (Seems kind of obvious, but we think it’s worth mentioning that traveling often involves a lot of walking, and as your due date approaches, it gets harder to walk very far! So make sure you pack some heel alternatives. We love a classic black sneaker; it goes with everything, it’s perfect to wear out and about, and it also does double duty if you want to squeeze in a quick workout. We found a few black sneaker options to check out below.)

Add these items for warm weather:

Jersey dresses and maxi dresses
Maternity bathing suit
Hat (keep that sun off your face to reduce your chances of developing melasma during pregnancy)
Sunscreen
Heel alternative: espadrille sandals
Kimono (double duty – wear over a bathing suit to the pool or over a fitted jersey dress at night.) Here are some kimono options below:

Add these items for cold weather:

Maternity leggings and sweater dresses
Maternity jeans
Maternity coat
Scarf
Heel alternative: booties. (Here are some bootie options below.)

Beauty Items/Toiletries

Those little toiletries on your hotel vanity might be fun to use pre-pregnancy, but they’re usually packed with strong fragrances that you might not appreciate now that your sense of smell is working on overdrive! You might prefer to bring your own clean and non-toxic beauty alternatives. Plus, traveling is the perfect time to test out new products! Go online and buy all sorts of samples of products that you’ve always wanted to try or splurge on. (The Detox Market sells sample bags of their products for $8 and Credo Beauty offers a whole page of “Minis & Travel”). The best part is that the entire list (below) will fit in your tiny travel toiletries carrier. If you can’t find sample-sized products, grab a few travel containers from Whole Foods or Amazon and bring along a small portion of your go-to products from home.

Face:

Hair & Body:

Shampoo/conditioner
Body lotion and body oil (For vacation, we love to add a little shimmer to our body oil. Try Herbivore’s Rose Quartz Body Oil)

Makeup:

RMS Pop makeup palette: this palette literally has everything you need for a glowing, natural look. Their best selling highlighter and bronzer pair for a dewy, fresh face as well as eye shadow, and the subtle pink and red pods add an instant pop to the cheeks and lips for a perfectly flushed look.
Foundation/concealer
Eye liner
Mascara

Carry-on/For the Road

BYO snacks (All the snacks; Lauryn admits to being stopped by security for what was apparently an ungodly sized bag of homemade trail mix—no shame here!) Pack little baggies or bring extra bars in your suitcase, and then once you’re at your destination, transfer one or two portions into your day bag before excursions!
Water bottle (Keep yourself and that baby hydrated! Carry an empty bottle through airport security and then make your way to the waterbottle fill station before your flight. Keep it in your day bag when you’re out and about.)
Magazines or an easy read (Read while you still can! But maybe something mindless and fun. Leave the baby books at home!)
Face mist for little gifts of hydration and refreshment throughout your travels.
If you’re flying, you may want to consider wearing compression socks to combat swollen feet and ankles during your flight. Also, make sure you get up and walk around during longer flights (usually not a problem since we have to use the bathroom so often anyway!)
Heartburn remedies (If you’re prone to this lovely pregnancy symptom, you don’t want to realize you left your Mylanta or Tums at home when it strikes!)
Prenatal vitamins (Pack just the amount you need in a pill organizer box so you don’t have to take your entire month’s worth of vitamins with you.)

Last But Not Least

Remember to take lots of pictures of yourself (and your bump!) during the trip. Don’t be shy – ask your partner to be the photographer while you pose. You’ll want to look back on your vacation and remember this exact phase of your pregnancy. Plus that baby will someday be a curious child who’ll love seeing pictures of him/herself in mommy’s belly.
If you’re going somewhere new, research the local food specialties. What cuisine is the destination known for? Make a point to try and enjoy that treat (especially since you won’t be indulging in cocktails at the hotel bar later!). When you get back from your trip, you can make your favorite treats at home as a fun throwback to vacation!