I didn’t realize just how much I needed — or how the packing game had changed — until I needed to place it all neatly into my (now) overflowing suitcase. Image: condesign/Pixabay.
We just returned from a few-night getaway, which is totally counting as our summer vacation this year since I’m due in a few short weeks. (And, ahem… not going anywhere fancy, because like every pregnant person, I’m scared shitless of the Zika virus.)
Between packing and unpacking everyone’s clothes and vacation gear, I noticed something: Both my husband and my son have gotten easier to pack for, while I have gotten more difficult.
Pregnancy changes more than just your body and your emotions. It changes the “stuff” that you need on a daily basis, too. I didn’t realize just how much I needed — or how the packing game had changed — until I needed to place it all neatly into my (now) overflowing suitcase.
Here are five ways being pregnant has changed the way I prepare for travel:
1. My “beauty” bag
Before being pregnant, I would try to be as minimal as possible in this area. After all, who is loading on the makeup when you are going to be sitting beach- or poolside? I don’t want anything blocking my chance at getting a tan!
But now there are some extras being thrown in: stretch mark prevention cream, stretch mark prevention oil, and, of course, bug spray.
2. Shoes
OK, this has gotten a little lighter thanks to the fact that my feet are much more prone to swelling.
Flip flops all the way!
3. Clothing
So many changes here.
The thing is this: I have fewer articles of clothing to pack (because who is investing in an entire island maternity wardrobe?? Not me!) — but the catch is that they take up more space.
Then there are those lovely maternity bathing suits. I only packed two, but they are seriously bulkier than any bikini or tankini that I ever wore before.
4. Medicine
Even though you are pretty much prevented from taking many different types of medication when you are pregnant, I suddenly needed everything in our medicine cabinet to come with us.
I needed like five boxes of Gas-X (yes, I go through these on the daily), Tylenol, and all my prenatal vitamin options (I couldn’t choose just one!).
Then, there were my daily probiotics and all the vitamins and just in case medicine that my husband and son might need.
I was like a walking pharmacy!
5. Reading materials
I always choose one great book and one juicy magazine to devour while we are on vacation, and never get through them both (well, maybe the magazine).
But this time around, for reasons unknown to even me, I needed to pack every single What to Expect-type book that had been sitting on my nightstand because I thought, This is the time to finally finish them all.
Spoiler alert: It wasn’t. I didn’t.
And they were heavy.
Next time, I will get to see what it’s like adding a baby to the mix!
