Travel when expecting

[Anonymous]

We had planned a 2 week European vacation/baby moon planned with my parents this spring. This was their first time going. We had put off a Europe trip since the pandemic started and after having our first child who was a lot to handle. Right before the trip, we had a medical issue with the pregnancy where the doctor ordered us not to travel so we had to cancel the whole trip. We’ve been busy trying to get refunded atleast partially for the hotels and flights the last couple weeks.

Ever since then, both of us have been pretty sad despite consoling each other. I know that we can go again in the future after the second is born but how do we move past this feeling?

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I think you have to just chalk it up to being a inexperienced first time mom with unrealistic expectations.

Maybe I'm jaded because my pregnancy included preeclampsia, ICP, and HG and then resulted in a 34 weeker, but when I hear of pregnant people planning extravagant travel I'm just like oh you sweet flower child...

Maybe it's a good lesson to pick off parenting- kid's needs come first and nothing ever goes as planned!

Best of luck to you and baby

[Anonymous]

You just do. Kids are a huge inconvenience, but so worth it. You can do the trip in 3 or 4 years when things settle down again.

[Anonymous]

I would reframe your thinking and look forward to taking the trip when you will be more comfortable.

I took a big trip halfway around the world for a family wedding at ~15 weeks and spent half the time vomiting. I had to get an IV. We have since returned with a baby and that was honestly easier.

We went down to the Caribbean for a few days around ~29 weeks and that was fun, but a very basic trip. I basically just read in a lounger, ate, and sipped virgin mojitos. I wouldn’t have enjoyed a walking and standing-intensive trip to Europe as a baby moon.

This is not meant to brag — I really love travel and have continued to travel with my first born in tow, but travel while pregnant was just meh.

[Anonymous]

Oh man lady those of us who had a baby in 2020 would like to have a word. I think you would have actually died if you were pregnant then. You have some life coming to you, canceling a European vacation to have a healthy baby is like a .000000001 on the hard knock scale.