At the time of writing this post I was on a babymoon in Paphos, Cyprus sitting in a balcony overlooking the sea with colours shifting from brilliant turquoise to azure.
Babymoon in Paphos, Cyprus
So, what is a babymoon? First of all, it’s a term that Mr AW shies away from, he believes a holiday is a holiday 😀 A babymoon is the kind of holiday one takes before the arrival of their little one allowing them a much-deserved break during the pregnancy which, let’s face it, can be a difficult/tiring time. It’s also probably the last time (for at least a considerable duration) that a couple can enjoy some quiet moments with each other without the conversation involving words like “nappies”, “feeding”, “your turn”, etc.
It doesn’t really matter where you go for the babymoon and how long you go for, as long as it is something that makes you feel happy and relaxed. I was sure I did not want a city break; I’ve done plenty of that already. After an intense 6 months that included the first trimester marked with severe nausea, all I needed was time away from work, some R&R and SUN. Oh, how I craved for warm and sunny days! If you live in the UK you probably know what I am talking about.
So, with some parameters in my mind, I started my search. All I needed was an all-inclusive luxury resort in a destination with plenty of sunshine, not more than 4 hours flight from London and zika-free! The last one is a very important thing to keep in mind when planning a babymoon, you do not want to take any risks during pregnancy.
Our top priority was Greece, except Santorini though, not because we had already been there but because of the fact that it’s mostly built on the edge of the cliffs and involves a lot of going up and down the stairs. However, we were booking quite last-minute and did not find anything available that suited either our budget or requirements completely.
We then moved our search to Cyprus which is south-east of Greece and south of Turkey. We booked our 5 days, 4 nights half-board stay at the Azia Resort & Spa in Paphos via Voyage Privé. We only booked the hotel through them though as booking the flights separately (specially for the timings that suited us) on our own was turning out to be cheaper. EasyJet, Ryanair and Jet2 all operate direct flights between London and Paphos, the duration being about 4.5 hours. Yes, a little more than I was looking for!
Tips for flying during pregnancy
Most airlines won’t fly women in the later stages of pregnancy (37 weeks or more). It’s even less for women carrying twins or multiples. Check with your specific airline to find out their guidelines. If you are 28 weeks or more, you will need a letter from your doctor confirming your due date and that you are fit to fly. Don’t forget to carry multiple copies of this letter. Before booking anything, discuss with your doctor and get advice on vaccinations, etc. Always carry your pregnancy related medical notes with you and guard them just as you would guard your passport 😀
While on the flight, stay hydrated. Carry a big bottle of water that you can fill up once past security if your airport has water-filling stations. Flying may increase the chances of DVT and wearing compression socks is a good idea. It’s also very important to get up from the seat and keep moving about, every one hour or so. An aisle seat would be useful in this case. This is a lesson learnt for me – I checked in without selecting a seat and was of course allocated the middle one which I couldn’t get changed to an aisle one later.
Our stay
Once in Paphos, our pre-booked taxi transported us from the airport to Azia resort which took about half an hour. First impressions were really good and I loved the use of natural materials and colours in the decor. The lobby and atrium was filled with brilliant light and plenty of greenery in the form of tall palm trees. The aesthetics were right up my alley.
The room was well-appointed with lovely sea views but I was bit disappointed by the size of it, especially the bathroom. The bed and pillows were firm and comfortable, just what this pregnant mama needed 🙂 On hindsight, I think I would’ve preferred a shower cubicle over a bath tub. It’s just easier to get in and out of. Again a lesson learnt but something you may want to keep in mind when planning your babymoon.
View from our room
The next 4 days went by in a blur; either lazing by the poolside or lounging on the sun-bed facing the sea with a book to keep me company. Although the temperatures were quite high, there was always a breeze and I kept to being in the shade provided by the palm and rubber trees that fill up the expansive grounds.
Breakfast by the pool
Evenings were spent watching the sun go down on the horizon, the golden hour ideal for some maternity/bump photography 😀 I don’t plan to hire a photographer for a full-blown maternity photoshoot which a lot of people are doing these days so these casual clicks by my real-life Instagram husband will be lovingly cherished 😉
The resort also has plenty of corners filled with various blooming flowers, specially colourful bougainvillea along with a traditional Greek chapel. No dearth of photo opportunities, you see 🙂
We didn’t step out of the resort even once during our stay although we did initially plan to explore some nearby tourist sights and try the tavernas for local food. Speaking of food, there isn’t much to say about the food at the various restaurants within the resort either. I was definitely expecting more considering most of their produce comes from their own plantation.
Maternity style
In terms of maternity wear, I stuck to wearing loose and comfortable dresses made of breathable fabrics. For swimwear, I was confused between a tankini, bikini separates and a one-piece swimsuit, ultimately going for the one-piece. I also packed a pair of comfortable sandals that were wide enough to support my swollen feet (a gift from pregnancy).
[shopr_shopthepost collection=”maternity-style” title=”Shop my style” show_product_title=”yes”]I hope you enjoyed reading about my babymoon in Paphos, Cyprus. If you are planning one for yourself and need any tips, please feel free to get in touch with me or ask me in comments below. Also, if you’ve been on a babymoon yourself I would love to hear about it too 🙂
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Cheers,
Ameeta xx
