The months leading up to the birth of a baby are filled with uncertainty, doubt and worry, especially for new parents. Even if you’re lucky enough to have an uncomplicated pregnancy, questions will come just as quickly as unsolicited advice. Reducing stress levels has scientifically proven benefits for the mother and, in many cases, the baby as well. To achieve this, some choose to take long walks, sign up for yoga classes, or treat themselves to a paradise trip where they can disconnect from it all and enjoy the time together whose hours are numbered.
This last course, known as babymoon travel (a nod to the term honeymoon – honeymoon in Spanish -) is not affordable for all budgets, but its acceptance has steadily increased in Spain in recent years. “With this kind of getaway, the couple are putting the finishing touches to their childless streak and welcoming a new moment in their lives. It’s an opportunity to spend some time alone as a couple before the birth of the newborn,” explains Alfonso Rueda, Head of Product and Operations at agency Honimunn. “This trend is growing and is currently a type of travel that is growing in popularity in Spain,” he adds.
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Of course, before considering traveling during pregnancy (especially by plane), one should take into account the advice and recommendations of the obstetrician accompanying the pregnancy, since there is no need for a general and unambiguous guideline to take into account the specificities of each pregnancy carry. For example, the 2014 Clinical Practice Guide for Pregnancy and Postpartum Care recommends that when traveling, “make an assessment of the potential risks that may arise from travel, depending on the circumstances of the pregnant woman and the timing of the pregnancy.” They state your desire to travel.
Perhaps the Marquetine name given to this type of prenatal journey gives us a clue as to where it began: the United States. For years, celebrities who are less privacy-conscious have been fueling the phenomenon with their babymoon trips to destinations that, due to their exoticism, often resemble the usual options of newlywed couples. In 2018, media entrepreneur Khloé Kardashian traveled to Japan in the months leading up to the arrival of her first daughter. The term babymoon once again occupied the front pages of the tabloids when in April 2019 some British media speculated about an alleged escape by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to a luxury hotel in Hampshire before Archie’s birth. That same summer, while pregnant with her second baby, tennis player Serena Williams shared with her followers several snaps of the babymoon trip – as she defined it – that she was taking with her family to Europe.
Some examples can also be seen in Spain. One of them is that of presenter Cristina Pedroche, who was enjoying mid-pregnancy in Miami with her husband Dabiz Muñoz. “It’s a beautiful journey. Sometimes you have to disconnect to connect to what really matters. Logically, my priorities become clearer each time,” he wrote on his social media. An exclusive resort in Mexico was the destination chosen by content creator and businesswoman María Pombo to enjoy a luxurious babymoon ahead of the birth of her second child.
But how popular are these trips among the general public? “The babymoon phenomenon has recently emerged in the United States and is not yet widespread in Spain. We do not have any concrete data on its expansion in this regard due to its recent integration into the world of tourism. However, we know that more and more couples are demanding this type of trip from the organizers and agencies with which we are in contact,” explains María Francisca Blasco López, Dean of the Faculty of Commerce and Tourism at the Complutense University of Madrid.
A sanctuary within reach of few
Exclusivity reigns supreme with these express vacations, where tranquility is paramount and typically shorter in duration than traditional honeymoons, typically between four and six days. “Companies are currently offering trips for medium to high-end target groups who can afford luxury experiences in paradisiacal surroundings where the focus is on the exotic, nature and tranquility,” says Blasco López.
Companies have started offering “babymoon” trips, aimed at mid-to-high or high-level “target audiences”. In the picture a couple on an island in the Maldives. Saowakhon Brown (Getty Images)
Considering that the average monthly expenses in a baby’s first year are more than 600 euros per month, large expenses in the months leading up to the birth are not planned for many parents-to-be who are focused on the birth. On the other hand, it is about to get everything the baby needs when it is born. The price varies depending on the type of trip, the destination chosen and the duration, but the most popular options tend to cater to the type of tourist who spares no expense other than cheap getaways or last-minute deals. All-inclusive is a strong claim, but there are those who prefer less sedentary experiences. This is what they say in Honnimunn, where they assure that they can find partners of all kinds: “Some are more adventurous, focus on distant destinations and have a lot of nature”. Others, however, prefer to travel to nearby countries for the sake of comfort. In many cases we are dealing with couples who don’t want to enjoy a typical honeymoon because they haven’t married yet, but want to celebrate this important milestone in a very special way.”
Future parents’ favorite places? “For long-distance travel, the most sought-after destinations are Japan, the best-selling destination of the year; Maldives combined with Dubai or alone; Bali; The United States, New York, San Francisco, Chicago… even Miami, depends on the time of year,” says Carla Tarrés Juncadella, CEO and co-founder of the Hanaley agency. For those looking for closer alternatives, there are plenty of other options: “Italy is a great destination and very comprehensive from north to south; Norway or Denmark are successful, especially at times when the heat is severe in most parts of Europe,” says Juncadella.
The budget for this type of travel is usually higher than what is usually invested in a summer vacation. In the photo a couple on a rice plantation in Bali, Indonesia. Raquel Arocena Torres (Getty Images)
The budget is generally well above what is typically invested in a summer holiday – according to Statista, each inhabitant of Spain spent €646.58 per person on their summer holiday in 2022 – and it is usually no less than four figures. “For trips across Europe, with good hotels and services, we can start at 1,500 euros per person. For long-distance travel, we start at 3,000 euros per person in most destinations. Although it always depends on the duration of the trip, the dates and the level of the hotels and services,” Juncadella explains the prices mixed in the Babymoon trips offered in Hanaley.
Regularly visited by wealthy newlyweds, the private island of Naladhu in the Maldives also has babymooner offerings. Of course, for an amount of more than 4,500 euros for a four-day stay in a villa with a pool and “half board”, says Nicolette Ng, the complex’s marketing and communications manager. High prices make up a large part of current offerings, but Professor Blasco López predicts that these trips will be here to stay and their growing acceptance will lead to “the offering becoming broader and better suited to all budgets”.