I am currently 33 weeks pregnant with my third (and probably last) baby.
Despite having gone through this twice before, I do not remember the nesting instinct being this strong or this early. My youngest was born in August, so my nesting instinct was replaced with an overwhelming urge to rest in the A/C. I think I checked off one or two items from my big to-do list the month before he was born.
This time, however, I have energy and a drive to “do all the things.” Sometimes it turns into anxious energy and I have to remind myself that our baby girl won’t know if her room isn’t finished, or if I have to run out and buy extra bottles once she’s here. There’s no way I can be 100% prepared for her arrival, but I’m going to try! At least, that’s how nesting feels.
Admittedly I am not as neat as my husband.
I wonder if this nesting instinct is how he feels most of the time (minus the intense desire to create a nursery and wash baby clothes). All I see now are dirty walls and baseboards that need cleaning. Thankfully, I’ve gotten an energy boost to help with the cleaning. Rather, it seems to be an every other day thing. One day I have all the energy I need, the next day I’m in bed by 7 pm. At least things are getting done!
Nesting this time around has felt like a gift.
Our office/junk room became our baby girl’s room in about a week. I’m on my third round of purging excess items from our house, and I’ve kept up with laundry for once. Not to mention my car is clean from the inside out. How does nesting even extend to the car?! I’m enjoying having a moderately clean house, let’s be honest, I have two boys ages 4 and 3 …my house does not stay sparkling clean for longer than a day.
I know that once our baby girl arrives, cleaning will take a backseat to her needs and the needs of her brothers. I’ll probably be in survival mode for a few weeks, and will have to just accept the pile of laundry in my room. So I am enjoying this extra motivation now.
Side note, we are hiring a postpartum doula this time.
I fear the transition from two to three kids and am hopeful that a postpartum doula will help keep me sane. Postpartum doulas provide emotional support, newborn care expertise, and light housework or help with older kids. Their main focus is on mother and baby during the postpartum transition. Some postpartum doulas even stay overnight to help with night feedings. We plan on having a doula over during the afternoons when my older boys get a little stir crazy before dinner, and I have no energy to leave the house.
I am excited to work with Stork Maternity Consulting. They also offer labor doula services and lactation support!
