The REAL pleasures of the Babymoon

During both of my pregnancies, my husband and I got the chance to take a modest babymoon. When we were expecting S, we drove up to Portland, Maine for a night. We took in a Seadogs baseball game, strolled around the Old Port, and treated ourselves to a nice dinner out. This summer, as we await #2, we had the chance to do the same in Bar Harbor, sans toddler, of course. As S hung out with her nana and papa, we were enjoying a sunny cruise in the harbor, chowing down on good food, and driving through the wilds of Acadia.

We also enjoyed some quality “alone time” (insert your sketchy uncle’s nudge and wink here), as every good babymoon should, I suppose. But let’s be honest: this isn’t a honeymoon. If you’re going on a babymoon, it’s because you’re pregnant, which probably means that you’re swollen, tired, irritable, or all of the above. And as for your babymoon buddy, they're probably a little fried themselves, as they’ve been tirelessly rubbing your puffy feet, fetching food for your cravings, and tiptoeing around your moody self. The two of you might not be feeling quite as amorous as on your wedding night.

So no, the babymoon is not all about sex. In fact, here are the 3 main pleasures of the babymoon that you might not have guessed:

1)     Sleep and shower as often and as long as you desire.
2)     Eat a leisurely, several-course meal at a super-trendy restaurant.
3)     Wander and explore aimlessly, and with few belongings.

I'll touch on each of these briefly. On #1, the sleep is probably a no-brainer. As my father-in-law so cheerily told us at our baby shower for S, "you'll never sleep in again." And you know what? Grandpa was right.

But no one warned me how much I'd miss a good shower. When you have a little one needing you at every moment of the day, it's unlikely that you'll be able to zone out in the hot spray as your skin prunes. It's more likely that you'll learn, as I have, to brush your teeth, soap up, and shave your legs at the same time, and all under 4 minutes flat.

#2: With kids in tow, getting a good meal out is a challenge. It's not impossible, mind you, but you might find yourself suggesting (gasp!) Ruby Tuesday's at 4:45pm on a Saturday evening. The babymoon is a chance to remind yourself that you enjoy eating in the company of adults--really cool, bordering on pretentious, adults. Eat something unusual, take your time, and as a bonus, enjoy some uninterrupted conversation. It's ok if it's just about how long you're going to sleep or shower next.

And #3: One thing I miss about my pre-kid life is the luxury of wandering aimlessly, without an eye on the clock for meals and naptimes. So on your babymoon, be sure to take your time exploring and to make some unexpected stops along the way.

Oh, and be sure to only carry a ridiculously tiny purse, one that would never fit diapers or a sippy cup.