Is this Ireland trip worth it??
 

we have a free ticket to travel anywhere in europe or south america, but we have to use it by the end of Sept. My husband is bent on going to Ireland. I dont want to go because
a)i will be 5 months pregnant when we travel
b) i wont be able to drink any beer
c) I think it's going to be crazy expensive.

Does anyone have thoughts about this? Is it even worth it to go? Husband has been many times and wants to go to Belfast. I have never been to Ireland at all. Should we bag the whole trip?

Pregnancy is a circumstance, not an illness! Don't put your life on hold for it, and certainly not before the third trimester.

It is not necessary to drink beer to enjoy your time in Ireland. There's the option of whiskey. There are other options, too, like soft drinks.

Yes, Ireland is expensive, but Northern Ireland is a little less so than the republic. And the biggest single expense, the travel, is already covered.

Come on over with your husband and your bump. You'll make him a bit happier (not a bad thing) and I am sure he will reward you by working on making your trip as much fun as he can.

If I was 5 months pregnant, I think I'd rather be in Ireland than South America on the off chance anything happened that would require hospitalization.

No, you can't sit in a pub all day drinking beer if you are pregnant, but pubs aren't the only thing that Ireland has to offer. You may find after a full day of sightseeing you just want to get some rest - so let your husband go have a couple pints and take the time to relax and enjoy the peace & quiet you won't have after the baby is born.

Ireland and Northern Ireland are both terrific and worth the time. Many will find with a lousy Dollar to Euro/Pound exchange rate, it is more expensive - but don't let it stop you from taking a trip, especially since once you have a child, travelling (especially overseas) tends to go out the window at least until the child is older.

Careful budgeting and planning for affordable accommodation and meals will ensure you won't have to spend that much more than if you took a vacation in your own country.

I agree. I can't speak to being pregnant, but I don't drink and I travel on a pretty tight budget, and I had a fantastic time in Ireland.

I haven't been to Belfast, but we did the southwest region quite affordably. B&Bs are often really inexpensive, and the breakfasts keep you full a long time (i.e., often no need to pay for a big or even any lunch). Eating out was a little pricier than in the States, but that all depends on where you eat at home and where you eat when you travel. There are lots of tips on keeping things affordable if you do a little research and know what you want to compromise on, and what you want to spend on.

Ireland is beautiful, and I went when I was 3 months pregnant. I didn't drink, but I went to the pubs.

The pubs really aren't what Ireland is all about. There is gorgeous scenery and the people are warm and friendly.

We rented a car and drove around, stayed at a B&B in Killarney, had a great dinner of the best salmon ever at Bunratty Castle and drove through Conor Pass and to Galway Bay to the little town where they filmed Ryan's Daughter.

This was 26 years ago, and it's still fresh in my mind. Go! You won't regret it!

:-)

Northern Ireland is beautiful --

5 mos pregnant is the happy time :) done with the puking guts out and extreme sleepiness, but not huge yet and uncomfortable. Trust me, it will only get harder with an infant. DO IT NOW!

We loved Bushmills Inn - an old inn that they remodeled. Of course, this was 10 years ago, but I would go back in a heartbeat. What's wrong with walking, shopping, touring ? And sitting down having 1 beer is okay (for liability reasons, I did not just say that). Do you need to sit in a pub for happiness ? Then I recommend you don't have kids right now. Oh sorry, too late... get over it.

Do you golf ? Read janisj's posts for good golf course recs. (btw, I played some of my best golf very very pregnant... something about lower center of gravity and having to rotate to get around the belly). You could probably justify a caddy then too :)

Think of all the cool things you can get for the baby. You came name her Ireland... or find an Irish middle name for him or her as a fun remembrance.

Where do you want to go instead ? Maybe you should consider sending dh and his dad on a special 'boys' trip ?

As others have said, 5 months pregnant is a great time to travel. You should be feeling pretty good - between the two sleepy/tired trimesters. Enjoy it now; it's the easiest time you'll have traveling with your little one for a couple of years at least. This can be a very special time to share with your husband.

I took my last pre-baby vacation when I was 7 months pregnant. We had 2 weeks in Washington State in a massive heat wave. I was like a beached whale, but still enjoyed it immensely.

My doctor told me to make sure I took lots of walks on the long plane ride and also break up any long drives with exercise stops to keep the blood circulating. Even though this was back in 1885, I'm guessing that is still good advice.

What Ireland trip ISN'T worth it ?????

Bob

Being five months pregnant isn't an obstacle to traveling (assuming a healthy pregnancy of course). If you're worried about the babys safety during travel, talk to your doctor. Any comfort issues you would have in Ireland, you'd probably have at home too. Plan rest breaks into your days and you should be fine. As others have said, if you want to go, now is the time because imagine the hassles of trying to travel with a small child.

As to the beer argument, you won't be able to drink beer at home either. If you want, get a bottle of something fun and bring it home to celebrate after the baby is born.

Since travel is being paid for your expenses will be lodging, food, transportation and souveniers. If you stay in a place with a kitchen you can easily cut down on your food expenses. Get groceries and have a picnic in the park. Just as much fun, but a lot less expensive than eating out all the time. You would have to have groceries at home as well remember, so you're only going to spend a bit more than you would at home. Depending on where you want to go, public transportation is a great option. Your expenses would be lodging, a little bit more of a food bill than normal, public transportation costs, and souveniers.

I haven't been there yet, but I would think late September would be absolutely beautiful in Northern Ireland.

Unless you really don't want to go, how can you say no to that trip? In my opinion, it is definitely worth going.

I second Bob!

Thirded!

Can't vouch for the traveling when PG part but there's tons to do in Ireland besides sit in a pub and drink beer. The most expensive part of your trip is already paid for so you will not only be able to enjoy the trip but to splurge a bit on yourself while you are at it. Many lovely spas in Ireland these days - the perfect place to spoil yourself a bit!

Wendy

Take the trip!
Our family of 5 (with 3 kids) just returned from Ireland. It was our first trip and wonderful.
We were homebased out of Belfast and explored the Causeway Coast (Carrickfergus, Dunluce Castle, Giant's Causeway, Carrick-a-rede-Bridge, Derry). Belfast is also amazing to explore.

We did make a trip to Cliffs of Moher in Southwest and it was amazing.

We found a flat www.victoriaselfcatering.com in Windsor Park of Belfast and it was very reasonable in a neighborhood of old Victorian homes.

Also loved town of Armagh.

Don't put it on hold.

I have no comments about the pregnancy part, but I love Iowa Redhead's idea of bringing something home to celebrate after the baby is born. If you're a whiskey fan, there are great whiskeys and my favorite mead --- Bunratty Mead. Wish we had brought home more of that mead.