At different stages of your pregnancy you might be feeling the urge to clean, organize or prepare your home for your baby’s arrival. This urge is nesting and can happen anywhere along the way and manifest in different ways.
We put together a list of some common ways that parents nest in preparation to bring home their new baby.
Although it’s not the most fun of all nesting strategies, it’s definitely a necessary one. Take the opportunity to get your birth preference sheet in order and organize your medical information in one convenient place. Shop around for your child’s pediatrician, get your insurance information up to date and organized and consider pre-admitting if you’re planning to deliver in a hospital. A little organization goes a long way when it comes time to bring home your baby and a little extra work ahead of time will save you a lot of inconvenience and stress in the long run.
By arrange we definitely mean organize.
With baby showers, gifts from relatives and friends and items you’ve picked up along the way you nursery space is probably cluttered with toys, clothes and baby supplies. Sort your baby items to keep them easily accessible and ready to go. Using shoe bags on the back of your door can keep smaller items in a safe place and sorted. De-clutter dressers using dividers that keep your mini outfits from being lost in deep drawers. Decorating the nursery space is also an important part of the bonding process and it’s common for mothers to obsess over nursery decor for months before their baby makes their big debut.
Cleaning and organizing isn’t limited to the nursery and before you can put your newborn down on many of your home’s surfaces, they need a deep scrub. Clean carpets, replace air filters, change your vacuum bag, dust and sanitize the surfaces you might have neglected. It’ll be a few months before your little one is mobile so you don’t need to go crazy baby proofing your whole home. Take your cleaning in baby steps and focus on one project at a time. Once your home has been thoroughly cleaned you can take a deep breath and relax, not feeling worried that you have a bunch of chores to finish as you balance baby care in those first few days postpartum.
Of course self care is a nesting strategy! Taking care of yourself in those last few weeks of your pregnancy is important to keep you healthy, strong, confident and relaxed as you go into labor. Plan a day at the spa or just take the opportunity to relax at home undisturbed.
Nesting helps parents feel confident and relaxed as they count down to the day they meet their brand new little one. Whether you’re nesting by cleaning your home or outfitting your nursery with every detail that makes it an extra special space for you, make the nesting process your own and don’t forget to devote some valuable time to yourself.