13 tips to plan a perfect baby-moon with your toddler 

In my previous post – 20 tips to Plan a perfect baby-moon, I talked about how to plan a great pregnancy-friendly holiday (first pregnancy). 

In this post, I will share some additional tips to plan a pregnancy and toddler-friendly holiday. (for second or subsequent baby-moon)

Some parents can leave kids in the care of grandparents/family. And that’s great. But most of us can’t.

Personally, we are not comfortable leaving our little munchkin behind overnight. She is not even three years old. So she went with us everywhere. This post draws upon our extensive experience (Europe and Asia) of going on holidays with our little one. 

The second babymoon or subsequent babymoons can be planned at home or with family (your family home). however, many moms want to go away with a partner and toddler, the following tips should help all of you. 

1. Start with the right intentions 

Why do you want to go on a babymoon? What do you want to get out of it?

• Just need to rest without thinking about childcare, dinner, work and deadlines
• Looking for a change of scenery, fresh air 
• Getting away from the daily grind
• One last holiday before going into a long newborn-raising hibernation
• One more holiday with your older one before baby arrives 

POV: Baby moon is about me, my health and my family. So my babymoon was focused on our rest, recuperation and future planning.  

Once you know your reasons, it will help you plan your baby-moon accordingly.  

2. Check your options  

Your baby-moon need not to be Instagramable, luxurious, splendid or expensive. Just a weekend away at grandma’s place. Where family help you with child care and you two (you and your partner) get to relax and spend some time together can be a perfect baby-moon for many.

• Your own home 
• Mom/grandma’s house
• Local destination (within a 2-3 hour drive)
• Nearby destination (within a 2-3 hour flight)
• Others’

POV – I wouldn’t suggest long-distance travel for a baby-moon

3. Choose the destination that offers something for all of you

Disneyland trips can be entertaining for your kids but exhausting for you. Yoga/Forest retreats can be relaxing for you but boring for kids. Also, think about the frequent toilet breaks you will need.

• Panoramic Swiss trains have a children’s play area that kept my child busy for good two hours while we relaxed and enjoyed beautiful views.
• Our turkey resort had a child care room, where your toddler can play and you can relax
• In Cornwall, our Airbnb was right on the beach with a children’s park nearby and plenty of good cafes. 
• In Lisse (Amsterdam) our daughter loved playing in flower gardens/farms. 

4. Notify childcare on time

Plan your baby-moon and give them plenty of notice to swap days or reduce days to save money. Enough said. If your child goes to childcare, you know what I am talking about.

5. Spacious and well-lit accommodation 

When travelling with our toddler, staying in spacious accommodation makes a significant difference in the overall experience. A big room with Sofa, extra space next to the bed for a cot and a window with interesting views is ideal.

If our accommodation is not good, we tend to stay out more and come back drop-dead-tired. Not ideal for a babymoon. Choose a good accommodation.

6. Request a toddler cot/bed

If you are co-sleeping and comfortable with it, please ignore this point and move on to the next. But I hate to sleep with my little kickboxer, who wakes me up every 30 minutes with her kicks. That’s why I always request a cot or toddler bed when booking accommodation. 

7. Don’t forget a comforter/lovey 

Having a cot is not enough. You have to make it familiar and comforting. That’s why I take her pillow and blanket. To make sure she sleeps in her cot bed and not on me. Also, these things help her during the meltdown. Her soft toy (AKA dolly, yes she named her) goes with us everywhere. 

8. Do take a pushchair 

I suggest taking a pushchair with you so that

• you don’t have to carry your toddler when they are tired
• you are not carrying everything on you – nappy bag, food water and other things
• your toddler can take naps as and when they need

9. Take it easy in the morning

You are on a relaxing holiday, not on a mission to tick boxes.

Sleep in, play with your toddler, take a proper shower, follow a skincare routine, have a healthy breakfast – do whatever you enjoy in the morning.

Start your day within your comfort. 

10. Pack plenty of healthy snacks and water 

Pregnant you and your hungry/bored toddler, both of you will need healthy snacks and water all day. This will help you avoid consuming lots of junk when out and about. Also during pregnancy women tend to get constipated easily, so pay attention to your food and water intake. 

11. Don’t let your toddler nap late in the evening 

During babymoon you want your toddler to go to bed early so that in the evening you will have a few hours to yourself.

If our LO (Little One) is going to bed early and getting enough sleep, she will wake up happy and we will enjoy a great morning together. 

12. Wrap it up early

If your goal is to relax and spend some quality time with family then wrap it up early. It is an act of self-love, offering a dedicated space to prioritise personal needs, reduce stress, and ensure a peaceful night’s sleep, it benefits both the mother and the baby.

I like to take long warm shower, follow a skincare routine, and do some stretches and meditation. Finally, cuddle up with hubby and chat until we fall asleep.

Honestly, this doesn’t happen every day. However, if I can get a few evenings like this, it’s a success.  

13. Come back to a clean room 

Now this is a personal choice.

I hate to come back to a messy room/house. So I choose an accommodation that provides daily cleaning service. In my experience, this is common in Europe and Asia. But not in UK and Australia (not in regular hotels at least).

Also, AirBnB or Holiday Parks do not offer daily cleaning. In that case, before leaving our accommodation in the morning, we make our bed and tidy up a little. 

My ideal baby-moon vacation day goes like this

Our Struggles

• All children-friendly places have unhealthy foods such as ice cream, chocolates, candy, and chips that our toddler can easily see. And It was hard negotiating with a two and half-year-old. 
•  Finding toilets everywhere we go (my toddler is potty trained and my pregnancy)
• Overstimulation and exhaustion can cause toddler meltdowns and tantrums.

Those are my tips for creating a memorable baby moon. I’d love to hear about your experiences, so please share them in the comments below.

Good luck

XX