Are You "Nesting"?

Are you a new mother who is wanting to clean and organize everything in your house to prepare for your baby that is on the way?  Do you just keep cleaning the same thing over and over? If so, you are probably in the  "nesting" stage.  

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Not all mothers will go through this stage, but it does help some mothers make the time go by faster. Nesting may be a good thing to keep you busy and your mind off other things, but it's also a good time to clean out things that you've been storing for awhile. Here are some good tips from What to Expect for those "nesting" mothers that will help you prepare for your sweet little chick.

• Restock your fridge and pantry: When mothers are nesting they usually want to get rid of the old and bring in the new.  This is a perfect time to go through the fridge and pantry and throw out any old food and stock up on new food.  Stock up on healthy snacks that you can easily grab on the go, because once your baby comes you will want to have the essentials ready to go.
• Cook ready-to-go freezer meals: You'll be grateful you cooked ready to go meals that are easy to take out and put in the microwave because the last thing you will want to do is spend hours preparing dinner when you could be taking a long needed nap. Find your favorite recipes and start cooking those ready to go meals!
• Load your laundry: Before your baby comes you are going to want to wash certain things that don't get washed very often like towels, bedding, blankets, etc., because once your baby arrives you will be loading the washer with clothes that have spit up stains on them.
• Deep clean: Nesting is a great way to clean those things that haven't been cleaned for awhile.  Have you organized your office lately? Or have you vacuumed and dusted in those forgotten places? You will be amazed at the things you haven't cleaned in awhile once your nesting instinct comes out.
• Outfit your baby: Don't overstock on lots of clothes for the baby, but stock up on the essentials such as onesies, booties, sweaters, blankets, etc.
• Outfit yourself: Do you have everything you'll need for once your baby is here? Some necessities for you are nursing bras, nursing pads, comfortable t-shirts that are easy for breastfeeding and comfortable, and also some old underwear that can be thrown away after recovering from labor.
• Be prepared: Babies need more than just clothing, they need diapers, diapers, and more diapers! They also will need baby lotion, soap, diaper rash ointment, nail clippers, thermometers, bottles, and much more!  You can always get these items after the baby comes, but it makes it so much easier to have them right there when you need them!

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Nesting isn't supposed to be stressful and everything on your to-do list doesn't need to be done before the baby arrives.  Start with one task at a time and don't get too overwhelmed trying to clean every corner in your house.  When your sweet little baby arrives you won't be worrying about the spices you forgot to alphabetize.  If any of you mothers have more advice on "nesting", please feel free to share it with all our soon to be mothers!