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Jul. 25--Halfway through her pregnancy, Amanda Carlson doesn't have swollen ankles or a sore back yet. She still has plenty of energy and time for dates and quiet nights with her husband, Geoff.
She also is well aware that much of that is about to change.
That's why Carlson, a 30-year-old Hampton woman, likes the idea of a "babymoon" - a getaway with Geoff before she reaches the waddle stage of her pregnancy or is wrapped up in caring for their first child. The current plan: Drive up the Eastern Shore and stop at a bed and breakfast or two.
"My sister has two kids and she has this pillow in her house that says, 'Peace and quiet - I'll take either,'" Carlson said as she shopped for baby clothes. "That always freaks me out a little. I know we're not going to have as much time for each other, so I guess I just want to make these months special."
The babymoon movement, a national phenomenon among first time parents-to-be, is beginning to catch on in Hampton Roads. The trend riffs on "honeymoons" (people aren't sure who coined the "babymoon" term) and has combined good marketing by travel agents with a desire for pampering from expectant parents. Couples today also are more likely to hold two full-time jobs and have extra cash to burn. For some people, a babymoon is as simple as a night at a local hotel, maybe with a hot tub or breakfast in bed. For others, it's an extravagant cruise to the Caribbean or a spa- and golf-filled week at a Florida resort.
"It's a special time before you become somebody's mom or dad," said JoAnn Williams, vice president of retail operations for CI Travel, a Norfolk-based agency with offices across Hampton Roads. "It's a little bit of downtime before you move on to a role you'll play for the next 18 to 21 years. Even if you just take a quick three-day weekend to regroup, it's a great idea."
Doctors say travel is generally safe until the last month of pregnancy for women without health problems, although they caution couples to discuss any risks before making reservations. On long airplane trips, for example, pregnant women are more susceptible to dehydration or blood clots in their legs.
Some expectant parents are too nervous to venture far from home, travel agents say. Others want a major adventure to remember during sleepless nights and diaper changes. Either way, they're looking for a chance to bond as a couple and tem-
porarily ditch the stresses of getting ready for a baby.
Businesses are catching on to the growing market. Ashley King, a mother in South Carolina, runs a Web site filled with hotels, resorts and spas worldwide that have added specific babymoon packages. Perks can include pregnancy massages and yoga classes; in-room pickles, ice cream and non-alcoholic sparklers; and gifts such as discounts to children's stores, teddy bears and lullaby CDs. Featured movies might be "She's Having a Baby" or "9 Months."
King got into the babymoon business after reading about the concept in a pregnancy magazine and planning her own retreat to Hilton Head, S.C., before she gave birth to her daughter, now 1. She hit the spa while her husband hit the golf course. "I had never heard of the last fling vacation, but I loved the idea," she said. "Most of the babymoons on the site are just geared towards rest and relaxation for the mom- and dad-to-be."
This summer, King expects to plan trips for at least 500 expectant couples. Some women also book a form of a babymoon before they get pregnant, planning a vacation when they know they're about to start trying for a baby (and, perhaps, conceiving said baby on that trip).
The idea fits with a growing move toward "niche" vacations, said Allyson Harris, owner of the Travel Corner Inc., a Williamsburg agency. Rather than taking a cruise or renting a beach house, more families want an exotic adventure or a trip planned around family reunions, grandparent/grandchildren bonding time or friends-only, spouse-free days.
"People generally are looking for something different," Harris said. "It's how to draw in a new generation of travelers."
And babymoons aren't a hard sell. When one mother overheard Carlson talking about the idea, she sighed loudly. "OK," she asked, "Now why the heck didn't I do something like that?"
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Copyright (c) 2006, Daily Press, Newport News, Va.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
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