Babymoon – The Millennial Privilege

There I was, poolside in Crete at 26 weeks pregnant, clutching a non-alcoholic Aperol spritz so cold it almost gave me brain freeze. The sun was too hot, the pillows too many, and my bump was definitely in the shot. As I swigged the “mocktail” and watched influencer-grade beach bumps float by on my feed, I couldn’t help but wonder… why have we convinced ourselves that the only proper pre-baby rest is a private island retreat?

The Origins of the “Babymoon”

The term “babymoon” didn’t come from the cradle—it was minted in the early 2000s, wrapped in celebrity PR and glossy travel guides. Gwyneth Paltrow probably whispered it first, and soon spas and resorts plastered it across their brochures. Before that:

• Victorian Era (1800s): Pregnancy was a time for darkened rooms, quiet rest, and occasionally a week in “fresh country air”—never a sun-soaked shoreline.
• Mid-20th Century: Doctors prescribed horizontal confinement (“the rest cure”), not palm-tree piña coladas.

Imagine someone from 1890 stepping onto your beachfront suite—complete with eucalyptus-scented towels—and insisting that’s the ideal pre-childbirth ritual. They’d likely faint (or at least ask where the midwives were).

Social Pressure & the Rise of Luxury Getaways

Babymoons tapped into every modern anxiety:

• Social Comparison Fatigue: When your feed is flooded with “best bump photoshoots,” it’s easy to feel your simple pool lounger isn’t enough.
• Influencer Culture: Polished images sell. Soon, every couple felt they needed matching linen sets and infinity-pool sunsets.
• Class & Money Dynamics: Yacht charters are fun—but they cost more than my first car.

Yet for many of us, that perfect shot is less “spa ritual” and more “hide-and-seek with public restrooms.”

Real Talk: My Greek “Babymoon”

Tom and I saved up for our (semi-luxury) escape to Rhodes:

• The Good: Warm sea breeze, the best halloumi of my life and i discovered how UNREAL swimming is while pregnant!
• The Hilarious: I packed an inflatable cushion due to bum pain, watching Tom semi-drunk when your stone cold sober, and an emergency stash of maternity pads.
• The truth: it felt worth it, but semi-forced. I also returned home with a new pregnancy symptom – Pelvic girdle pain (WOW & OW!).

Every time I tried to look “effortlessly chic”—cue the wind snagging my wide-brim hat, or me adjusting my support leggings in a cramped ferry loo—I reminded myself: this is real life, not a filtered ad.

Essentials for a “Real” Babymoon

Here’s what actually made our trip bearable—and what I still pack for every pre-baby getaway:

1. Compression Socks
   These ultra-soft compression socks kept my ankles from exploding after hours by the pool.
2. Travel cushion
   My inflatable cushion kept my bum happy.
3. Maternity Leggings
   “For those travel days, or lazy days in the hotel (you’ll need them!). These leggings were comfy, versatile and comfortable.
4. Magnesium spray (always consult with your healthcare team / midwife and follow product instructions)
   BetterYou body spray was a lifesaver when it came to restless legs which really flared up for me during the holiday.

What Would the 1800s Say?

“No, Miss Liddell, you shall not be promenading to Mykonos. You must rest in dimly lit rooms and avoid excitement!” Yet here we are, branding it as “once-in-a-lifetime luxury.”
The real privilege isn’t palm-tree backdrops—it’s permission to pause, wherever you are.

– Jodie