Checklist: Planning a Babymoon? What to Know Before You Book

from Parents Magazine

___ Timing is everything. Plan a second trimester getaway. You'll be feeling more energetic and -- hooray -- your libido may have also returned, but the "I'm huuuge!" tiredness many women experience in their last trimester won't be an issue yet.

___ Stick fairly close to home. Popping down to the Bahamas is one thing (for East Coasters, anyway) but you might want to save that Tuscan tour for another time. Being on a plane for more than three or four hours is tough on your preggo body. And on the completely off chance something happens, do you really want to worry about how to say "I'm having cramps!" in Italian?

___ Avoid anything too exotic. Why bother with vaccines or potential tummy bugs if you don't have to?

___ Pick a chill place. This might sound obvious, but there's always a temptation to sight-see yourself silly -- and if do, you'll just wind up feeling even more zonked than before you left. A quiet B&B or beachy locale are good picks because they're all about relaxing.

___ Cover the "what-ifs." Don't go nuts here, but it's a good idea to have the name and phone number of a local hospital (and, if you can, an ob-gyn) just in case.

___ Run your itinerary by your doc. Once you settle on where you're jet-setting, ask your doctor if there's anything you should watch out for. Say you're going to St. John, where all the food is fish, fish, fish. Make sure you know which types to steer clear of (mercury, you know) and how much is okay to eat.

___ Tell everyone you're expecting! When you're booking, it can't hurt to mention you're babymooning -- you never know who might throw in an airline upgrade or a complimentary fruit basket, right?

___ Ask for a quiet, out-of-the-way room. Hey, you're likely having trouble sleeping well as it is. You don't want to be facing a busy, car-honking street -- or near a highly trafficked elevator bank.

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