Aircraft – full of fecundity – crisscross the skies.
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June is prime time for the babymoon: a glorious portmanteau of baby and honeymoon.
October is the most popular month for Australians to give birth (coincidentally, nine months after New Year's Eve…)
Most women take these trips in the second trimester: post-projectile vomiting and pre-debilitating backache.
Here are the top five tips for travelling while pregnant:
*Check with your doctor before booking a holiday. During my second trimester with Taj, I was diagnosed with a life-threatening pregnancy complication. You guessed it: grounded.
*If you can afford it, choose flying over driving. (Shorter flights are preferable.) Sitting in the same position for hours on end can be uncomfortable. Secure written permission from your doctor before boarding, just in case.
*Go to smartraveller.gov.au if you're visiting a developing country. Make sure you get the required immunisations, except for those that haven't been tested on pregnant women. Avoid Zika hotspots, including Samoa and Tonga. (Believe it or not, resorts in Mexico and Jamaica are still offering babymoon packages.)
*Before flying, invest in DVT socks and a lumbar pillow. If driving, wear the seatbelt under the lump on your lap: a jolt could separate the placenta from your uterus. Take frequent – ahem – toilet breaks.
*Always carry a water bottle for rehydrating. Pack small snacks in your handbag to remain healthy. Plan your activities at a leisurely pace: rushing around can make you dizzy.
The most important advice is to return home in plenty of time. You don't want to go into labour a long way from home. After all, one in nine babies is born prematurely.
Last year, a woman holidaying in the Whitsundays delivered her baby in a helicopter at 27 weeks, during an emergency transfer to Mackay Base Hospital. The poor love was later taken to Townsville to go into neonatal intensive care.
"Check your travel policy because some may exclude covering you if you've had IVF or are having twins or triplets," according to Claudio Saita, deputy chief executive and executive director in Australia for Tokio Marine, underwriters for travel insurance.
"If you're travelling when you're more than 26 weeks pregnant, or have any pre-existing conditions, then it's advisable to seek specialty insurance to ensure you're covered."
During winter, weary bones yearn for warmth. The pick of the babymoon bunch is Lizard Island: mocktails, chocolate-dipped strawberries, sunset cruise, massage, gourmet picnic and degustation dining. Sigh. (Might pop a pillow under my top and try to sneak in…)
Or, if you prefer cosy and country, try Peppers Manor House in NSW Southern Highlands: pregnancy massage, organic facial, bathroom with a deep spa, breakfast with homemade bircher muesli.
Either way, enjoy the romance.
It's a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with each other.
Of course, once baby comes along, it's a soundtrack of, "It's your turn to change the nappy!" and "I'm too tired for sex. Can we just cuddle in front of the TV?".
Email: tracey.spicer@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Twitter: @TraceySpicer
Instagram: @TraceySpicer
