Towards the end of my second trimester, at 26 weeks pregnant, my husband and I visited Jeju, a beautiful island in South Korea. It was our babymoon, the pre-baby trip to savour time with my partner before the chaos of parenthood ensued.
Shortly after conceiving, I oscillated between two states: Being incredibly grateful and excited, and completely nauseous and exhausted. Most of the time though, it was a mix of the two, in addition to the hormonal mess that came with pregnancy.
So, to put it simply, the first trimester of pregnancy knocked me out.
I therefore had no time – nor energy, nor headspace, nor much of anything – to think of going on any trip, let alone a babymoon. The thought of doing all that with my unpredictable body wore me out.
But my husband insisted we should go somewhere. A babymoon would be our last trip with each other before the baby arrived.
Taking this trip felt almost essential, he said – after the struggles of a tumultuous first trimester, it seemed like a great opportunity for us to take time off, reconnect, and enjoy an adventure together.
After warming up to the idea, I realised I truly wanted to go. While most people would recommend resorts or relaxing spots for a babymoon, I longed for a place we’d never considered visiting, somewhere calm and close to nature, far from the bustle of the city and the constant busyness I’ve come to associate with home.
