Nesting

Nesting is a phase of pregnancy when mothers have a great urge to prepare for the baby’s arrival, creating a safe, clean home environment for their newborns. Some women start nesting as early as when they are five months pregnant: getting the nursery ready and ordering baby clothes and items to take care of their child. But most women, experience it in the third trimester closer to their due date. However, many women experience it right before labor which could be a sign that labor is approaching soon.

For Dawn, from the U.K., she began preparing her nursery the week before giving birth. She created a full mural on all four walls. She added cartoon drawings such as Tom and Jerry. She painted a night sky with different variations of blues and day-glow stars on the ceiling. She even illustrated a tree in the corner, the tree of knowledge. Yes, that last week Dawn added books, a rocking chair, a changing table, a wooden chest with her son’s name on it and yes, she was the one doing all the painting. She painted an English landscape, a Palestinian landscape, pyramids, Aladdin, ponds, oceans, and lakes; her imagination was on fire with techno music playing in the background to keep her in the zone.

Martha from Ireland had a similar experience, but instead of a full week nesting, she nested for two straight days making her kitchen spotless. She cleaned until 2 am. The kitchen couldn’t have gotten any cleaner! Her kitchen wasn’t even that big, but she had such a deep desire to clean and organize.

My mother, Sandra, was the same; she had enough zest to work on the house all day long and as soon as she finished her chores, she went into labor.

Nesting is a natural process of motherhood. It’s instinctual. It’s the same natural act animals go through to prepare a safe, cozy place for their young.

Pregnant women are aware that nesting is common, but did you know that it could be a sign that childbirth is imminent? Often times, the last thing a mother does before going into labor is nesting, cleaning or preparing her home for her baby. It could be that this flurry of activity does more than simply, physically and mentally prepare the mother for the child’s arrival, but it could be nature’s way of preparing the baby and mother for labor.

Share below. Did you nest during your pregnancy? What was your activity? When did you start nesting? Was it months before giving birth? A week before? Few days? Or the day of?

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