New year, new…house?
Moving is already stressful enough as it is, with closing deadlines, packing, cleaning, and all the associated costs. But throw in a new baby arriving soon, and your move can become a whole new level of tense. Here are five tips to help make moving during pregnancy a little easier.
While moving with an infant certainly isn’t impossible, it’s not ideal. With constant feedings, diapers, and sleep schedules – not to mention your physical recovery from childbirth – the rigors of packing and lifting and hauling will be a lot more difficult than if you can get it out of the way before the baby arrives. Planning ahead will also be super helpful for things like paperwork, packing – or not packing – your maternity clothes, and figuring out where all of your mom-related destinations are in relation to your new home.
Figuring out your insurance situation if you’re moving to start a new job is also going to be kinda important when you’re expecting to give birth in the near future…
2. Choose Your Doctors
If you are moving to another state, or even another city, you will want to make sure you have your OB-GYN and pediatrician locked down. Some obstetricians and midwives aren’t able to accept new patients on short notice, or after 34 weeks of pregnancy, so choose one that suits you and have your medical paperwork faxed over to their office manager, stat. You may also wish to find out if there is a pre-registration process to take advantage of at the hospital or birth center where you plan to have your baby.
3. Don’t Overdo It
It might be super tempting to control freak-out over the packing and cleaning and try to do it all yourself, but when pregnant you just may need to give yourself a little grace. Take a break with a glass of cold water and put your feet up every half hour or so, and enlist plenty of helpers to take care of all the heavy stuff (get pizza and beer to lure them in – whatever works). Keep in mind that unless you’ve personally been cleared for heavy workouts, pregnant women should lift a maximum of eighteen pounds in early pregnancy, and thirteen pounds in late pregnancy. Pregnant folks who are at-risk of preterm labor, should not do any heavy lifting at all.
4. Safety Matters
Pregnant people are more at risk of injuries due to slipping and falling, and that risk is definitely elevated while carrying boxes up and down stairs, cleaning windows and ceiling fans, taking down Christmas lights, and other tasks that have to be done during the moving process. Not only is your center of gravity a little different these days, but you also have the relaxin hormone coursing through your system, causing all your joints and ligaments to be nice and loose. Some considerations would be to wear sturdy, flat-soled shoes; delegate ladders and stairs to your helpers; and visit your local prenatal chiropractor regularly.
5. Babyproofing at its Easiest
Babyproofing is usually something that’s done in stages, as your baby shocks you by learning to get into more and more things. But moving during pregnancy is a great opportunity to get some of the big ones out of the way before Junior is clinging to your legs. You can get the new house completely clean with non-toxic cleaners such as baking soda and vinegar. You can map out problem areas like balconies, pools, and stairwells, and have gates installed. If there are any remodeling projects to be done, your baby won’t have to be exposed to paint – and possible lead underneath – or other hazards like fiberglass, stain, and power tools.
Moving while pregnant is not going to be a picnic – it’s just not! But by planning ahead as much as humanly possible, getting lots of help, and not pushing your body too hard, you can get through it without any major shocks or meltdowns. Good luck!