What is nesting during pregnancy, and why does it happen? Get the POV from real parents-to-be, Adam and Sonia, as we dive into their thoughts and feelings while experiencing nesting here on Newsymom!
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There’s an old midwife’s tale saying if a pregnant woman begins “nesting”, labor is sure to come. Now, we can’t exactly prove if it’s “Fact or Cap”, but we can definitely talk about it!
What is Nesting?
“Nesting” is referred to as the period of time in which a mother-to-be (and sometimes, father-to-be) spends the last few weeks of pregnancy getting the home ready for baby’s arrival—with ferocity! During this period, you’ll see cleaning, cooking, organizing, home improvement, DIY projects, and so much more!
So, why does it happen? We asked a real-life couple to weigh in on their nesting experience as they prepare for their baby boy, Dean, to make his grand entrance. Hailing from Newton Falls, Ohio, learn more about Sonia and Adam’s POV during their crazy ride!
Q & A: Sonia & Adam
Q: How has pregnancy been for both of you so far?
Sonia: For me, personally great with minor scares even with it being high risk. Other than that, I wouldn’t change the experience so far for the world.
Adam: For me, it’s a great experience. I’ve learned a lot from this pregnancy.
Q: How far along are you, Sonia?
Sonia: 34 wks, 1 day
Q: When is Dean expected to arrive? Do you have a birth plan?
Sonia: Due date is March 15th, 2022 and natural birth. However, due to health issues, he might come a little sooner than March 15th!
Q: Let’s talk about Nesting. Have you been feeling the urge to get your home ready for baby?
Sonia: Yes, absolutely! I’m constantly having the urge to deep clean and sanitize everything. I put a few smaller items together of his to have it together before he comes home.
Adam: Yes, we’ve been feeling eager for him to get here, so we’ve been very busy updating his nursery to get it ready. Sonia has no problem reminding me all the things we need to get done!
Q: What projects are on your checklist that need to be tackled before Dean comes home?
Sonia: Current project on the checklist is to finish his nursery within the next two days. So when Saturday comes, we can put the crib together and bring everything upstairs to the nursery to make it complete!
Q: What challenges do you experience being in “nesting mode” this late in pregnancy?
Sonia: Current challenges I have with nesting is honestly the everyday exhaustion, [being] out of breath with pregnancy, or simply even the whole “not being able to bend down and reach past my belly”. It makes it kinda hard to constantly bend up and down to do anything. I have to take multiple breaks.
Adam: The main challenge, for me, is time. Sonia has a hard time doing anything (as all 8 month pregnant women are, understandably) so I try to help out as much as possible when I’m not working.
Q: In your mind, why do these projects need to get done?
Sonia: Personally, for me it brings peace of mind because I’ve been a planner. I need it to be “perfect” in a sense of organized, cleaned, and spotless. With that being said, I’ll feel more “complete” and comfortable if these tasks were done before the baby comes home. Not to mention, I don’t know when I’ll find time to do it when he’s here, juggling my healing and taking care of a newborn coming straight home from the hospital.
Adam: It gives me peace of mind to know that everything is prepared for the baby to be here so we can struggle less while doing the small things.
Q: When it comes to this instinct of wanting things done before the baby’s arrival, is it hard for you to accept help from others to complete these tasks for you? Does it give you anxiety if you aren’t the one doing it?
Sonia: Yes, it absolutely has given me anxiety. Throughout our life, I’ve always been the person not asking for help, either just figure things out on my own, or simply doing it on my own. It’s taken a lot for me to even ask for help for the smallest things. So asking for help with tasks, or help with getting something for the baby before his arrival has given me some sort of anxiety. I think that it’s more associated with the fact that I NEVER have liked asking for help in general. I don’t want to seem like a failure to myself or anyone else. It’s something I’ve always dealt with.
Adam: Yes, asking for help is hard for us both because we worked so hard for everything we have so to ask for help makes you feel a little helpless when you are the one usually giving the help.
What This Teaches Us About Nesting
According to this interview, nesting happens for some of the following reasons:
- providing a clean, safe space for baby
- minimizing stress as much as possible during the transition into parenthood
- giving parents a chance to bond over creating the home they want to bring baby into
But, you need to know some things if this is what you’re going through…
- You will need to ask for help, and that’s okay! Pregnancy causes so much exhaustion because you are creating another person. It’s okay to feel uneasy asking for help, but your loved ones are there to support you!
- Parenthood isn’t perfect. In fact, it’s messy. Make the messes, make the mistakes…because you’re making memories. Cleaning can wait, but the memories with your child… can’t.
- Make sure you’re taking care of yourself so you’re able to help your baby. Stay hydrated, take your vitamins, EAT, and ask for someone you trust to watch baby so you can have moments to relax, too!
For additional help for pregnant or new mothers: If you’re needing support, education, and community services, the SCCAA Community Actions Pathway HUB is an amazing resource, made just for you! Click the link to find out the help they can provide for you.
Melissa Klatt
Reporting