Celebrate with a Babymoon

According to Macmillan Dictionary in a “Buzzword” featured posting back in 2006, a babymoon is the special holiday that parents-to-be take before their first baby is born.

Other experts have come up with their own definitions for the increasingly popular themed getaway—some say it should take place after the baby’s birth, when parents surely need a restful break; while others say it’s not just restricted to first-time parents, but should be taken before any “new addition” arrives. (And if the expectant parents choose to bring the older kids along, then it’s a “family-moon.”)

Whatever your definition might be, the babymoon is a vacation with two major purposes: to recharge couples’ batteries and rekindle romance. The Bahamas, (one of I Do Over host Diann Valentine’s recommended romantic getaways) is a great babymoon destination.

It’s a quick flight from any East Coast city, and for women who don’t want to fly in the last few weeks of pregnancy, it’s just a few hours from South Florida ports by cruise ship.

The 700 islands of the Bahamas offer countless opportunities to enjoy a walk on the beach, a fresh tropical fruit plate, a spontaneous nap, and a perfect sunny afternoon.

Splurge

This is pretty much the last opportunity for a few years to stay in a dream hotel occupied by grownups only. For that reason, if you didn’t go all out on your honeymoon, we think you can justify a few nights at pastel-perfect Pink Sands, luxury all-inclusive Sandals Royal Bahamian or even a private island resort like Kamalame Cay.

If you don’t want to travel to an “out island,” there are some luxury options around Nassau and Grand Bahama. Our advice: steer clear of the Atlantis, yes even the luxury tower. You’ll have plenty of years to enjoy it with kids in tow. Instead, stay in the adjacent One&Only Ocean Club, which offers Atlantis access but a much more serene setting, plus romantic touches like complimentary champagne and strawberries every afternoon.

Steal

One of the surprisingly nice things about this island destination is how many affordable lodging options there are, not only on touristy Grand Bahama Island, but dotted throughout the archipelago.

If you can’t afford Pink Sands, then try The Cove in Eleuthera—recently renovated, half as expensive, and also on a pink sand beach. If you loved the idyllic Cat Island setting of Fernandez Bay Villas, where the Carstenens spent their I Do Over honeymoon, there are less expensive places like Greenwood Beach Resort, set on a similarly beautiful beach and starting at only $100 a night.

Sightsee

While we don’t recommend anything too rigorous—after all, you’re carrying precious cargo—not everyone can be satisfied just lounging around for four days straight. If you prefer a bit more activity, pick a “homebase” island like Eleuthera, from which you can take a morning jaunt to the Bahamian village of Tarpum Bay, sample fresh island produce at Island Farm, or take photos at Glass Window Bridge. Elsewhere in the Out Islands, explore Staniel Cay by golf cart, or visit a “straw market” in Nassau. Probably the best way to explore is by boat. Tour outfitters all over the islands offer day trips to remote cays, opportunities to snorkel with sea turtles, and glass-bottom boat trips out to colorful reefs.

Pamper

If you do choose to spend your final days of “us time” just relaxing, nobody’s going to try to talk you out of it. You’re in the islands, after all!!  Get a holistic treatment at Natural Mystic Spa in the Marley Resort, Cable Beach, Nassau—or check yourself in for a full day of spa bliss at the top-rated spa at the One&Only. Have a picnic on  Morgan’s Bluff, Andros; feed your sweetheart fresh pineapple while watching the Surfers Beach action on Eleuthera; or stuff yourself on fresh seafood at a fish fry. (Editor’s note: We suggest an out island “fish fry” like George Town in the Exumas. Nassau’s Arawak Cay fish fry is too crowded and treacherous for a heavily pregnant woman to navigate.) 

Or, if you’re feeling particularly lazy, just drift from one little beach to the next, napping in a succession of hammocks and shady coves. In remote destinations like the Biminis and the Abacos, you could literally go from beach to beach for days.