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Many expectant couples are packing their bags and taking one last vacation before the baby arrives. More than half of expectant couples take 'pre-baby' vacations for rest and relaxation, according to USA Today. The travel industry is paying attention. Leading names in travel and parenting now offer the first Babymoon vacation packages.

The luxury market in particular is making itself extra kid-friendly, says Kyle McCarthy, editor of FamilyTravelForum.com, offering baby-sitting services that accept very young children and introducing massages for pre- and post-partum moms and even for babies.

According to a recent survey by Liberty Travel, one of the nation's largest travel agencies and BabyCenter®, the most popular online resource for new and expectant parents, 59 percent of new parents have taken a special vacation, or "Babymoon," that included an overnight stay away from home.

"Like Honeymoons, Babymoons have become another special vacation couples take and remember forever," noted Lisa Vachna, a Liberty Travel Vacation Specialist in Ramsey, NJ. "The survey confirmed how important this trip is for expecting couples, and also gave us insights on the special touches that are essential for a perfect Babymoon."
To conduct the survey, Liberty Travel turned to BabyCenter® and tapped into its online community of over 3.5 million monthly visitors. The research was designed and administered by novaQuant Inc.

"Travel is an important activity with our community," noted Jessica Lilie, Director, Market Research, BabyCenter. "Many of the couples responding to the survey told us how memorable their Babymoon was. Clearly, this pre-baby time together is an experience more and more couples are seeking."
    Other key survey findings include:

• Couples are Taking Pre-Baby Trips - More than two million babymoons are taken by U.S. parents-to-be each year
• Trips Provide Quiet and Quality Time - 43% of couples are looking for rest and relaxation, while 41% take this trip as 'one final getaway for just us'
• Couples Prefer Non-Strenuous Activities - 62% opt to do nothing or just relax, 59% prefer to shop, and 48% prefer sightseeing

The results of the survey also revealed that the average Babymoon takes place during the second trimester. Typically, the Babymoon is from two to four nights long, typically in the eastern or western United States. This trend is highlighted in the current edition of BabyCenter(TM) Magazine's second trimester issue in an article that features extensive tips and advice to those 'Babymoon Bound.' More information also can be found at www.babycenter.com.