5 Safety Tips for Nesting Moms

This is probably your last chance to relax, but it’s still hard to take a break. So toil away, but take precautions.

All moms-to-be experience a strong nesting instinct just before their baby is born. The nesting instinct is strongest in the last trimester so if you find yourself constantly coming up with cleaning projects, don’t fret over it. Nesting is a normal and natural part of pregnancy and while it is purely instinctive it can be quite productive too! Meticulously scrubbing the bathroom floor, sweeping out the garage, doing multiple loads of laundry – these are all examples of nesting behaviors in expecting mothers. If you’re a nesting mom, it’s a good idea to make the most of this time, since very soon your life will be turned upside down!

The instinctual need to prepare your home for your baby occurs partly due to hormonal changes in the body during pregnancy. It could also be nerves – the worry that your home won’t be ready in time for your little one’s arrival. Having a child can mean a huge change and many mothers feel they may be more in control of things if they make adequate preparations. Many mothers experience the first surge of nesting during the second trimester. Energy levels are high at this time and it is natural to find yourself looking for things to fix or organize.

Since it’s easy to go overboard (which would put undue stress on your system) here are some safety tips helpful for nesting moms:

Take advantage of your nesting instinct by focusing on the essentials. A crib and a car seat are necessities, so buy those first. Other important things include baby clothes and changing supplies, bedding and bath requirements. Also, buy feeding gear, if needed.
Since you’re likely to be hurrying about the house, engaged in some task or the other, protect yourself by fixing any tripping hazards such as loose floorboards or crumpled rugs.
Clean up areas of dust or pet fur in corners, behind furniture or under the bed.

There are some tasks that can easily be done later so don’t try to manage everything at one time. Trying to do too much too soon may tire you out and make your pregnancy slightly harder. Don’t fret too much about the following:

Cooking plenty of meals to stock in the freezer for when the hectic newborn days begin. Your family and friends will be glad to help. There’s always the option of ordering some healthy takeout from a good restaurant if you simply don’t have the time or the help.
Buying toys for your baby. Newborns do little else other than feed and sleep. You can splurge on toys when your baby is a bit older and can enjoy them.
Stocking up on gear for when your baby grows older. Things maybe hectic now, but there will be time for shopping in the future. There are also the gifts you’re baby is likely to receive. It’s not necessary to buy everything at once.
Baby proofing the home. It will be some time before your baby starts crawling, so although this task is very important, you don’t need to do it right away.
Renovating and remodeling. Many nesting mothers find themselves neck deep in large-scale home improvement projects. This is likely to be stressful for you and such projects can always be carried out later.

It’s a nice feeling to be prepared and to keep yourself engaged in productive work as you count down the days to your delivery. However, caring for your health and wellbeing is paramount. Choose your tasks wisely and take the necessary precautions to avoid hurting or tiring yourself out. If you feel, like many mothers do, that your anxiety seems to be increasing, remind yourself that this is a natural part of pregnancy. It’s also helpful to talk to a loved one about it.

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