Part 1 of 2
If you aren’t planning a babymoon, consider doing it! We had to readjust our expectations now that I was traveling while pregnant, but I’m so glad we did. This was our last international trip together as a couple for a while. Besides being great for our relationship, it alleviated the restlessness I feel in my soul.
Choosing Where To Go
February in Canada is dark, cold, and snowy. I wanted to go anywhere the sun was shining and I could sweat. We are lucky enough to have an awesome friend in Florida, USA, who planned the majority of our trip for us.
Travel Requirements
My only requirements were:
- It had to be sunny.
- There had to be water that I could swim in.
- There had to be fruit.
- There had to be good mocktails.
- I didn’t want to do too much planning.
- I would be sleeping in a private room with a private bathroom.
- It had to be budget-friendly.
With those requirements in mind, the decision was relatively easy: go on a cruise.
Recommendation
Talk to your travel partner and determine the requirements for your trip. Don’t get stuck on your past travel achievements; plan a trip that is right for your body right now. Expect that you will be tired, hungry, and slow. If you aren’t, then you’ll be able to enjoy it even more! However, keep your expectations low to ensure you have a good time.
(Always keep health recommendations in mind to ensure your pregnancy is happy and safe.)
Travel Insurance
We always purchase travel insurance when we leave Canada. This time, we were very careful about reading what the insurance covered. In Canada, we have free healthcare for emergency room visits. We needed insurance that would provide us with the same peace of mind in the USA. Our favorite provider is World Nomads. They’re well-priced and very transparent about what they cover. Additionally, you can sign up for coverage right up until the moment you leave for the airport. That being said, we’ve never had to submit a claim through them so I’ll post an update once we’ve experienced their claim process.
Recommendation
When selecting travel insurance, make sure it covers emergency medical situations. We purchased insurance that mirrors the coverage we receive for free in Canada. It’s essential to be covered for any emergency visits, especially while pregnant!
Traveling While Pregnant
Congestion
Our cruise was leaving from Fort Lauderdale, so we had to fly from Calgary, AB, to Orlando, FL. I love traveling and have been doing it since I was very young, so I thought nothing of the flights and layovers. However, nothing could prepare me for the excruciating pain that pregnancy congestion inflicted on my head. The moment we were airborne, something didn’t feel right—it felt like a thousand needles peppering my eyes and sinuses. Nothing helped to soothe it. I massaged the areas, tried blowing my nose, and even placed ice on my forehead, but nothing worked. By the time we landed in Dallas, I was crying, and with another leg to Orlando still ahead, I was in no mood to travel. Luckily, getting off the plane, finding some real food to eat, and walking around a bit almost made me forget the horrible ride. We boarded the flight to Orlando, but the pain returned as soon as we lifted off the tarmac; this time, it was accompanied by a nosebleed that persisted on and off until we arrived in Orlando.
Recommendation
Honestly, I don’t have a great recommendation for alleviating congestion, and I’m sorry if this happens to you too. I would have taken Tylenol if I had some on hand. I’m grateful I packed so many tissues!
Food
As I mentioned in a previous post, I was extremely nauseous during this pregnancy, and food seemed to be the only thing that made it bearable. I usually bring three types of snacks with me when I travel: salty, sweet, and chocolate. Unfortunately, my stomach had no interest in those options, so I focused solely on crackers. While I was dealing with the intense pain from congestion, eating a cracker every so often helped to distract me a little.
Recommendation
Bring safe foods for traveling while pregnant. Don’t try to use this moment to focus on healthy eating; instead, bring foods that help subdue nausea and keep you level-headed. For some reason, I couldn’t get enough of Goldfish (a.k.a. fishies). They’re salty, crunchy, and cheesy. Just make sure you abide by the customs requirements of the country you’re entering; you don’t want your snacks confiscated at the border.
Swelling
I generally experience swelling in my ankles and feet. Usually, I prefer to wear loose socks, but pregnancy took my swelling to a whole new level. Now, my loose socks felt tight, and when I didn’t wear anything, it felt like my feet were going to fall off. This was especially true on the airplane. I typically wear very expandable shoes to accommodate the swelling, but that wasn’t enough for this trip. I didn’t bring compression socks since I had never needed them before, and that was a huge mistake on my part!
Recommendation
Buy compression socks. Even if you think you won’t need them, it’s better to have them and not need them than to need them and not have them. I bought several pairs as soon as I got home; these ended up being my favorite.
Cruising
I had never been on a cruise before, and it exceeded every expectation I had. We went on a Royal Caribbean cruise, which met all of my requirements. Since we were on a huge ship, my motion sickness wasn’t an issue. Regardless, I wore my relief band the entire time just to ensure that I wasn’t caught off guard.
Pregnant and Cruising
Another reason cruising was the right option for us was the availability of food 24 hours a day. While it wasn’t the lavish fruit trays I had been expecting, they did have watermelon, which was much better than the watermelon we get in Red Deer in February. In addition to 24-hour access, there was a wide variety of food and drinks available. This meant that when an aversion arose, it was easy for me to find something different.
Another aspect I really appreciated was the accessibility. There were elevators and ample seating options throughout the ship. I could go down the stairs without a problem, but climbing them was starting to get difficult. Using the elevators made my mobility seamless, and whenever I needed a break, there was always somewhere to sit and enjoy the scenery.
Swimming
Being pregnant, I didn’t go into the hot tubs, and since I didn’t have access to them, I was a little nervous about getting too cold in the pools. Because of this, we didn’t do much swimming on the upper deck, but when we go on our next cruise, I will be frolicking full-time!
The cruise docked at CocoCay, and there was no way I wasn’t going to swim in the ocean. So, despite the recommendations to stay out of the water while pregnant, we spent a fabulous three hours playing in the ocean and enjoying virgin piña coladas. The water was cool, but the sun was hot. The saltwater also helped clear my pregnancy congestion, so I was able to breathe freely for a few happy hours.
Recommendation
One recommendation we received from a seasoned cruiser was to buy some water shoes. I usually wear inexpensive Croc knock-offs when I’m playing in the ocean, but he advised us to get something a little more refined. What we chose were some simple water shoes from Amazon. They were understated and had a good grip, so I wouldn’t slip. Both my partner and I got a pair, and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for simple and safe water shoes.
Conclusion
This was part one of two on traveling while pregnant. We truly enjoyed the cruise experience and are excited about bringing our family on future cruises. Air travel was challenging due to pregnancy congestion, but the sunshine and ocean views made it all worth it! Don’t let pregnancy discourage you from traveling during your first and second trimesters—just remember to pace yourself!
-CL