There are no rules for a babymoon, just as there were no rules about what to do on a honeymoon. These intimate retreats are meant to celebrate the unique but private lives you’ve built together. A honeymoon marks the beginning of your lives together at the beginning of marriage and the babymoon does the same thing, only it’s the beginning of parenthood being celebrated.

After living as a couple for a while, shared interests emerge and goals are set. Once the baby comes along, it may not be so easy to find time to indulge in shared interests and goals may need to be re-prioritized or accomplished now. First-time parents are likely to find this especially true, as the realities of life with a baby take over. A babymoon is a good time to go somewhere you, as a couple, have always wanted to go.

• An island retreat invites many vacationers and suggests a laid-back pace relaxing on the beach or pool-side. Fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, parasailing, and other water activities can satisfy the more active parent-to-be but, if given the opportunity, moms-to-be might want to try swimming with the dolphins. They seem to know a woman is pregnant and are often drawn to them, paying comical attention to the baby bump. Could it be their built-in sonar systems picking up on baby’s heartbeat?
• Wine enthusiasts may forego wine tastings but a trip through wine country is always entertaining and educational. If a favorite winery is en route, invest in a case of a good, hearty red wine with staying power. Drink the first bottle on the baby’s first birthday and open another one every year after that. It will be interesting to see how the wine matures alongside the child you’re raising and this birthday bottle will bring back beautiful babymoon memories year after year.
• Sports fans can schedule a babymoon around a playoff game or similar event. Collect autographs, if possible, and visit sports museums in the area.
• Some cruise lines have restrictions of traveling in advanced stages of pregnancy so go early if a babymoon on the seven seas is calling. The activities and entertainments on cruise ships mean there’s never a dull moment but plenty of time to relax and enjoy an escape with your favorite traveling companion.
• If it’s the great outdoors that beckons, leave the tent at home for this one time and snuggle up in a cabin in the woods or a quaint B&B in the country. Hiking can be enjoyed almost anywhere and at any pace. Go bird-watching from a porch or balcony and explore the local cuisine.

The sky’s the limit, actually, when it comes to what to do on a babymoon. Do be sure to allow plenty of downtime for mom between excursions and private time for romance. And, if you haven’t already made the decision, why not let the experience inspire the perfect baby name?