Your Guide To Productive Nesting During Pregnancy
Yayyyyy! Congratulations, a baby is on the way! So many new and exciting things are in your near future! I know it seems like a lifetime away, but soon enough you will be snuggling that new little bundle of joy! Hang in there mama!
Although, I'm sure you already know this, but there are a ton of things to get in check before baby arrives. Yes, I know it may be overwhelming and stressful thinking about all the things that need done. And, the last thing you want/need is additional stress. That is why the nesting challenge is so great!
This challenge is spread out over eight weeks, so hopefully it doesn't leave you stressed out. It also gives you the time to get everything done to where you hopefully feel prepared enough.
Take the layout of the projects as you like. They are set up to take about one week to complete. Although, you may feel like you need more time to complete a task compared to a task that you feel like you can knock out in a day or two. Or you may want to tackle project 5 before you tackle project 3. Whatever works for you mama! Remember this challenge is meant to make your life easier, not add stress! And trust me, once this challenge is complete and the little one has arrived, you will be thanking me!
When you start the first project of the challenge is up to you! Although, I wouldn't start the first project any later than week 30. You never know, that little bundle could be making their appearance a couple weeks early. But just remember to also be lenient with yourself, and DO NOT be afraid to ask for help when tackling a project, if you need it!
Your Guide To Productive Nesting During Pregnancy: 8 Projects Over 8 Weeks
Project 1: Educate and Stock Up
Educate
If you have not already taken a lamaze class, I highly recommend taking one. I know it may sound like a drag and they typically last half, if not all day, although a ton of valuable information is provided. I learned all sorts of information about breastfeeding and epidurals that I did not know before. This is also a great time to take a tour of the hospital.
Your delivering hospital typically offers these classes on a Saturday. If you are not sure, contact the hospital or clinic and they will provide you with the dates and times of the classes. If you would rather take a class from the comfort of your home, an online class is also an option. This allows you to replay the portions that you want over and over again, to make sure you are retaining all of the information. Although, this option does have a cost.
What To Expect When Your Expecting was by far my favorite pregnancy related book. It has a TON of valuable information, and when I say a TON, I mean a TON! It contains information from the first weeks of pregnancy all the way through postpartum, and what you should expect each week. Snag it on Amazon for $10.
Stock Up
Now is the time to make sure you have a large stockpile of diapers/wipes/diaper rash cream/etc. Keep in mind that most babies grow out of size newborn fairly quickly, so I recommend keeping a larger stash of size 1 on hand than newborn.
Non baby essentials are always a good idea to stock up on as well. These include batteries, paper towels, toilet paper, paper plates, etc.
Medicine cabinet essentials are items that I always make sure I have plenty of! Trust me, you do not want to have to run to Walmart (if you even have one in your town/city, I don't) at 2 a.m. In my small hometown the only place open all night is a gas station, and I wouldn't trust them to have infant Motrin on hand when I need it. So, in my opinion, it is always better to be safe than sorry, and keep that medicine cabinet stocked! You can find all of my must haves for baby's medicine cabinet here.
Project 2: Prep For Mama
Survival Baskets: Ensure you have your survival baskets (as what I like to call them) put together. I had four of them: diapering, breastfeeding, postpartum, and medicine. These baskets make everything easier, as you have the all items you need in one place. No searching high and low for your Haakaa, Lanolin, Dermoplast, etc. Find all of my favorite essentials for each survival basket here.
Postpartum Care Essentials: Make sure you have plenty of nursing bras, postpartum undies, postpartum pads, etc, on hand. Here is my ultimate list of postpartum care essentials.
Hospital Bag: This week should also be spent getting your hospital bag put together. While you're packing yours, you might as well go ahead and pack your husbands as well. Because chances are, if you don't, his bag won't be packed until five minutes before you head out the door. I am also going to straight out say, you need much less than what you will likely want to pack in your bag.
Padsicles: Consider making padsicles, because boy are they a lifesaver. And, oh so easy to make!
Project 3: Get Your "Administrative" Tasks Taken Care Of
Child Care: If this is not your first child, make sure you have care lined up for your other children during your hospital stay. Ensure your day care/schools know who will be picking them up during the times when you are unable to as well.
Maternity Paperwork: Call into your HR department and ensure that all of your maternity paperwork is complete. This is also a great time to ensure the proper person/persons are appointed to any ongoing projects, proposals, etc.
Hospital Registration: If there is any paperwork that needs taken with you when you check-in, place it in your hospital bag now. We received a birth plan form when attending our lamaze class. Questions included were: Will you be breastfeeding? Do you prefer skin-to-skin contact right after baby is born? Will there be delayed cord clamping? Who do you want in the delivery room? Etc. This was a form that I filled out, placed in my hospital bag, and then could just hand to the nurse upon arrival.
Do one last check with your insurance as well. Even if it is just a mental check. Make sure you have no additional forms that need filled out.
Birth Announcements/Pictures: Plan on sending out birth announcements? Select a couple that you like before hand, so it is as easy as adding the picture and birthing information. Plan on doing newborn pictures as well? Make sure a photographer is lined up, as the best time to get newborn pictures done is no later than 10-14 days after birth.
Project 4: Declutter
I personally like to do my decluttering and my deep cleaning together. I feel that it is easiest to remove all unnecessary items from one room and then go ahead and deep clean that same room. If you prefer, you can declutter the entire house and then go through and deep clean the next week. Although, remember to take things slow and do one or two rooms per day, so you aren't burning yourself out.
Keep in mind that with a baby, several other things come along with them, that you will need to find space for. Swings, bouncy seats, all sorts of toys, rock-n-play, pack-n-play, bottles, breastfeeding supplies, clothes and the list goes on and on.
Some spaces to focus on include:
Kitchen Cabinets: Toss out all the multiples that you no longer need/use. This includes measuring cups, measuring spoons, cookie sheets, pots and pans, sets of silverware, can openers (why on earth I thought I needed 5 can openers at one time is beyond me), etc. Give them to your younger sister, niece, a college kid, whoever it may be, I'm sure they will be thankful for them.
Oh boy, and don't get me started on the amount of koozies we had. Seriously, I feel as if it was close to 100. Somehow, my significant other acquires one wherever he goes. We had koozies from weddings that took place in Nevada and Florida, when we live in South Dakota, that we definitely did not attend. Like what? How they heck did we get these things?
Kitchen Pantry and Fridge: Check for expired foods.
Closets: Because I know I can't be the only one that keeps clothes that I haven't wore for 2-3 years. Take time to go through and see what can be donated. Toss out all those holy socks and underwear. Now is a great time to also cut the number of t-shirts down from 50 to 25.
Bathroom Cabinets: My bathroom cabinets is the area that I feel is my most cluttered. Toss out all those finger nail polishes that are a million years old. Along with those moisturizers, lotions, perfumes, make-up, etc. that you don't use and has been taking up space for years. Oh, and don't forget about all the medicine that is expired by several years!
Project 5: Deep Clean
This is a large project, so do not try to knock it out in a day or two. Split it up and tackle one or two rooms a day at a time. Do your bathroom one day, kitchen the next, living room the next, and so on.
Some areas that are most commonly forgotten include:
- Behind furniture: This includes couches, beds, dressers, kitchen appliances, etc. Use an attachment from your vacuum to help reach these troublesome areas. Ask for help to move the large and heavy objects. DO NOT move them by yourself!
- Blinds and Ceiling Fans: Amazon has the handiest little tool to help you clean the blinds in no time! And this little tool will help you clean those ceiling fans.
- Baseboards/Trim/Cabinets: Wipe them down with a cleaning solution.
- Top Shelves: They are above eye level and hard to reach, so these tend to be often forgotten about. You can use the handy little tool mentioned above to help reach those high shelves.
- Deep clean your carpets sometime before baby arrives. You will be so glad you did with how much they will be laying/playing on the floor and when it comes time to crawl.
Sorry ladies, according to the American Pregnancy Association most cleaning products are safe to use throughout pregnancy, so no need to hire a maid. Although, make sure you have good ventilation, where protective clothing and gloves, always read the warning and instruction labels, never mix different chemicals, and if you partner is around have them help you. If you feel uncomfortable using chemical cleaning products, then go all natural mama!
Project 6: Prep Space For Baby
Now is the time to start putting things into their designated places, in order to truly be ready to bring baby home.
- Assemble baby gear that still needs put together. This includes the crib, rock-n-play, swing, bassinet, stroller, etc.
- Put those finishing touches on the nursery.
- Keep baskets of supplies throughout the house. Such as diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, burp rags, extra onesies/pjs, lanolin, etc. I liked to keep at least one basket upstairs and one downstairs. This was helpful, as I didn't have to go running throughout the house searching for a diaper or burp rag, when those incidents happened!
- Wash baby clothes and organize in closet and drawers.
- Get your room set up for baby's temporary stay. If your baby will be sleeping in a crib, bassinet, rock-n-play, pack-n-play get it set up in your room. I also kept the glider in our room for all of those night time feedings.
- Get the car seat installed.
- Pick out baby's coming home outfit 🙂
Project 7: Meal Prep
This, this is a project that you DO NOT want to skip! These meals are a HUGE lifesaver when dinner time rolls around. Because we all know during the middle of cooking, baby will be hungry or have an incident that calls for a bath. Instead of stressing through trying to get a meal cooked, just pop a pre-made casserole into the oven or dump the contents into a crockpot and let it do the work.
Start by checking out this list of 25+ Easy Freezer Meals For New Moms. It provides you with all of the recipes, prepping for the meals, along with freezer meal prep tips.
Project 8: Final Clean
Yayyyy! You are almost there mama! Hopefully getting all of these projects done makes you feel that you are truly ready for baby!
The final clean may include vacuuming, dusting, cleaning toilets, those piles of laundry that you may be behind on, and whatever you feel may need to be done last minute.
Now, for the rest of this week, take the time to kick those feet up, relax, and enjoy those last few days of baby being in your belly. Go on that last date with your significant other before baby arrives as well!
There you have it mama! You are now prepared and ready for that baby to make their appearance! Also, I want to thank you for stopping by! And make sure to follow along with my little family on Instagram 🙂
You can find all of my favorite motherhood/baby/toddler products here!
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