Signs You’ve Entered the Pregnancy Nesting Stage

Nesting (verb):

Preparing every nook and cranny of your home to meet a tiny little stranger, who quite frankly doesn’t care whether or not the silverware drawer is organised or the shower is bleached.

What is it about nesting? We know that “nesting” is common and considered to be an instinct to prepare for birth, but what is it that suddenly spurs a pregnant woman into cleaning overdrive? What makes you wake one morning to feel overly energised and eager to organise your entire house? Like many pregnancy symptoms, nesting is a strong instinct to get ready for your new baby. This pre-labour ritual seems to affect many women during pregnancy, yet it still remains a bit of a mystery.

What is nesting in pregnancy?

Some theories suggest nesting is a result of:

• Boredom and frustration at still being pregnant
• Recognition that the baby’s care is going to take lots of your time and energy, meaning that housework will take a backseat
• Excitement and anticipation and the desire to have everything “just right”
• A timed instinct to ‘protect and prepare’
• A sudden desire to control your environment
• A primal instinct going back thousands of years.

What research tells us is that nesting is not a frivolous activity nor is nesting a myth. Nesting during pregnancy is a real thing. And while not every pregnant woman will experience it, it is a common symptom that has its roots in evolution.

Nesting peaks in the third trimester as the birth draws closer and is an important task that most likely serves the same purpose in women as it does in other animals.

According to psychologist Dr. Maria Anderson, “It ties us to our ancestral past and provides a safe environment which helps to promote bonding and attachment between both the mother and infant.” Females of the animal kingdom are all equipped with the same need. Just as you see birds making their nests, mothers-to-be do exactly the same.

One of the apparent paradoxes of nesting in the third trimester is that women confess to feeling more tired while simultaneously showing an increase in activity levels. In fact, women have also been known to experience nesting during the second trimester, when their energy levels are at their highest. The urge to nest is a powerful motivating force that’s difficult to control.

Many women may wonder how long after nesting does labour start. Some have speculated that nesting is a sign of onset labour, however, it is an old wives tale that once nesting urges begin, labour is about to come on. For most women, the nesting instinct is strongest in the later stages of pregnancy. If you feel the nesting urge, don’t stress! Usually, labour is still a few weeks away. Nesting is just a primal instinct to start getting ready for the upcoming arrival.

Signs that you’ve begun nesting

While pregnancy nesting is different for every expectant mother (in fact some don’t nest at all), many women report irrational behaviour and actions. Signs your nesting has begun include:

• You’ve washed, folded and organised baby’s clothes several times, and still feel compelled to do it again
• You find yourself reorganising the fridge at 3am when all you wanted was a nice cold glass of milk
• You’re spending hours on Pinterest getting ideas for rearranging the living room
• A compelling urge to sort through all your family photos and holiday snaps and file them in appropriate albums
• You’ve gone over your baby items checklist a thousand times, yet you are still awake at 11pm wondering if you’ve got everything
• You decide to cull your social media friends to ensure you’ll be sharing your baby pics with only the people closest to you

What to do if the pregnancy nesting urge hits

If the pregnancy nesting instinct hits right as you’re preparing for childbirth, make the most of it. Very soon life will become pretty chaotic and most days you’ll find it a challenge just to shower, let alone scrub the shower. But be sensible. Refrain from climbing, and don’t overreach or lift anything too heavy. Avoid risky business such as standing on ladders to scrub the bathroom ceiling, since your equilibrium and balance changes during pregnancy, exposing you to the risk of falling. Avoid cleaning chemicals such as bleach or oven cleaners and if being used by others, ensure you have good ventilation. Also be sure to take restful breaks, drink lots and snack often.

Most importantly, remember that nesting is just as much about delegation as the actual art of cleaning, so if there’s something you would really like done, ask. Don’t feel you need to do it all yourself.

Safe things to do when the nesting urge hits

Pregnancy nesting can be beneficial, but it’s essential you don’t overdo it. A good way to limit yourself is to make a list and tick it off as you go. This way you’ll refrain from ‘winging it’ and suddenly finding yourself doing something dangerous. “Sensible” activities to put on your list include:

• Stocking the fridge with key essentials. Use this new surge of energy to begin meal prepping and making nutritious meals to pop in the freezer. Once the baby arrives, it’s easy to lose your healthy eating routine, so by having meals and snacks pre-prepared will make it easier to keep healthy while you’re on the go.
• Stocking the pantry with non-perishable staples. Once the baby arrives you won’t have time to be stocking the pantry. Use this nesting time to fill it with convenient snacks like trail mix, broths, soups, beans, crackers, and baby food for healthy and easy snacking.
• Wash all the bedroom linen, including guests’ towels, duvets, pillows, throws, etc. Use an eco-friendly laundry detergent that is safe for the entire family.
• Making sure you have enough nursing bras and easy-to-open shirts, as well as comfortable clothing
• Preparing your hospital bag should you be heading to the hospital for labour
• Use this time to go through your birth plan. You may also want to compile a list of emergency contacts and essential numbers such as the hospital, your GP, and the maternity unit into your phone.

Key takeaways

Pregnancy nesting is a real and natural instinct that occurs in women during pregnancy. While not all women will experience nesting, the ones who do commonly report symptoms occurring anywhere from the second to the third trimester.

While there’s a range of signs that a person has entered the nesting stage, the most common is an increased desire to clean and prepare for the baby’s arrival. No matter how the nesting instinct hits, it’s important to understand that nesting is a normal experience and can help to provide a better environment for the baby.

While nesting has been associated with onset labour, in most cases nesting occurs weeks before labour hits. It is important for expectant mothers not to overdo it during the nesting stage, and to avoid any strenuous activity. Learning to delegate tasks and using this newfound energy in ‘safer’ nesting activities will help to protect mother and baby’s health and safety.

About the author