Somewhere in the third trimester of pregnancy, many women experience the urge to clean, organize, and get things in order before baby arrives. Nesting while pregnant is a totally normal experience, and it can be accompanied by a burst of energy. You might go from napping multiple times a day to washing and folding all of your baby’s clothes in one day. Everyone prioritizes different tasks while nesting (some people clean their entire house, while others focus on creating the perfect nursery), but it’s all worthwhile.
Here are some tips from real moms on how to make the most of that nesting instinct.
Only Prep the Newborn Essentials
“It’s great to direct your nesting energy toward preparing your baby’s wardrobe. However, remove tags and wash only the clothing items that will be the essentials of your baby’s layette. As you will probably find out, many moms tend to wind up with a lot more clothes than needed or so many clothes that babies have outgrown items before ever wearing them. Later on, anything new with tags can swapped or sold.”
— Monica Banks, mom of two and founder of GuguGuru.com
Find a Nesting Buddy
“My nesting energy had me — at nine months — teetering on top of the dining room table cleaning off the dusty fan blades. When my husband discovered me like this, he helped me down, then climbed back on top of the table and finished the job himself. From that point forward, we were partners in nesting. Our house never looked better! If you have nesting plans that aren’t safe for a preggo mom to carry out solo, ask a friend or your partner for help.”
— Svetlana Cornet, mom of one, New Haven, CT
Use That Strong Nesting Desire
“Nesting gave me superhuman cooking powers! I had never been one to cook or bake, but by the time I reached my due date, I had a freezer stocked with four dozen batches of muffins, five lasagnas, three gallons of homemade spaghetti sauce, and another three gallons of homemade chicken soup. After the baby was born, I was grateful we had this food, but I couldn’t believe that I was the one who made it! Lesson learned: If your instincts are telling you to try something new, you might want to go with it.”
— Lisa Mahoney, mom of two, Brentwood, NH
Look Within (and Write It Down!)
“Instead of physically nesting, I prepared myself mentally. I bought a journal. I downloaded books to my e-reader so I could keep myself occupied while nursing. I made lists of who could help me after the pregnancy (this included the name and phone number of every friend, acquaintance, and stranger who mentioned, “I’ll make you a meal” or “I’ll babysit”). This was the important stuff — the things that kept me feeling like a real person while immersed in baby poop, diaper bags, and sleepless nights.”
— Gaby Merediz, mom of two and founder of makeyourperfect.com
Get Crafty
“All I wanted to do when I was nesting was knit, sew, paint … If it involved a trip to the craft store, I was on it! I’m glad my nesting instinct led to such creative expression. I still have all the crafts I made and they are such a sweet reminder of those last few weeks before our baby was born.”
— Allison Nevins, mom of one, Patchogue, NY
Finish Your Work To-Do List
“Before my first child was born, I did some cleaning at home, but my nesting instinct kicked in hardest when I was at work. I went into overdrive getting projects done that had been dangling for months, making plans for my maternity leave, and staying up all hours completing advance work that I thought might be needed upon my return. Looking back, this does seem crazy, but at the same time, being so prepared really helped me to ‘shut off’ from work during my leave.”
— Elise Howe, mom of two, Brooklyn, NY
Dreft Stage 1: Newborn Liquid Detergent
When you bring baby home for the first time, you want to make sure everything’s perfect — including what you wash their teeny-tiny clothes in. Dreft Newborn detergent is made with a hypoallergenic formula that is designed to be tough on stains (because blowouts) but gentle on baby’s sensitive skin. It’s no wonder it’s the No. 1 choice of pediatricians.
The Declutter Zone
“I went on a major decluttering spree when I was nesting, with the result being piles and piles of old clothes, books, outdated electronics, my old furniture from college … you name it. I was so motivated that I tagged everything and threw a huge yard sale. I made a few hundred dollars (which went to buy diapers, of course) and donated what didn’t sell. I know we have enough clutter to have another yard sale. I guess I’ll have to wait until I am pregnant again so I have the energy to organize it!”
— Jenny Wilson, mom of one, Tampa, FL
Visualize
“I finished my thesis (treating perinatal mood disorders with art therapy) and started a private practice. The feminine life-force energy I felt was amazing! For other moms, I recommend taking advantage of the nesting instinct to begin designing the life you dream of having. Start with an art activity. Collage a vision board of the different realms of wellness: physical, emotional, spiritual, relational, intellectual, occupational, and environmental. What are some goals and intentions in each area? What do you want your life to look like? Then start creating this life for you and your growing family.”
— Renee Bond, MS, AT, LPCC, mom of three and therapist at ParenthoodPrep.com
