6 Nesting Tasks to Complete Before the Baby Arrives

Pregnancy can be brutal which means sometimes parents (despite their best intentions) don’t get to everything as planned. Nesting is such an exciting time because it feels like a big burst of energy to complete major tasks. Unfortunately for me, my energy and motivation ran its course once I had the essentials covered.

According to the American Pregnancy Association, “nesting during pregnancy is the overwhelming desire to get your home ready for your new baby.”A typical sign of nesting is the impulse to clean and organize. However, for some women it can present as the desire to shop or deep dive into parenting books.

Not every woman experiences nesting urges and some people claim nesting is not “real” for humans. Ultimately, I think most parents want to prepare for their child’s arrival which includes creating a safe and inviting environment. Now that my daughter is older, I’ve had time to tackle some of the projects I fell behind on while pregnant. While late is better than never, boy do I wish I did these sooner. Here are the 6 nesting tasks I wish I’d finished before giving birth.

My two dogs, a husky and border collie mix, are both high energy and very affectionate. While adorable, this translated into some challenges when we added a little babe to the mix. Neither dog had received any formal training, but knew a few basic commands like sit and paw. While their interactions with my daughter are positive, I want to reduce risks wherever possible.

My highest priority is my family’s safety and that’s where dog training comes into play. Every dog is different, but a reasonable concerns included:

• accidental bumps, trips, or tramplings between my child and dogs
• resource guarding or aggression surrounding toys or food
• leash pulling when out on family walks
• jumping

We’ve begun some training, but I wish I had started before giving birth when I had more free time. Balancing dog training on top of parenting is an added challenge you’ll want to avoid if at all possible. If you find yourself in the same predicament as my family, I highly recommend installing a baby gate. Alternatively you could get a playpen so you know there will be safe dog-free zones within your house. As always, no amount of training, house proofing, or planning can account for everything so I try to always keep my toddler in my sightline.

2. Finishing the nursery

When in the nesting stage I wish I focused more on functionality instead of design. For example, adding soft non-toxic foam mats made a much bigger difference than hanging wall art. I put off a lot when it came to setting up the nursery because I knew my baby would sleep in our room in a bedside bassinet for several months after birth, so I figured what’s the point in stressing out. As long as the crib was up and I had a space to do tummy time I was set.

Right? Wrong.

While that was true in theory, I wish I had set up my LO’s nursery before she was born so we could have reaped the full benefits of the space from the very beginning. Because it was awkwardly configured and not 100% baby proof I used other less ideal areas throughout the house for baby play time while she was little. In retrospect, if I’d had the nursery done it would have made my life a lot easier, even if it was just accessing a space which felt “meant for us” in those early days.

It’s natural to aspire to have a picture perfect life like you see on Instagram. After all, when everyone looks happy it’s easy to get swept up into the “idea” of what your life should look like. Unfortunately most things on the internet these days don’t tell the full story. You might see the aesthetically pleasing living room, but you don’t get to see the mess shoved away in the closet. As parents it’s important to find balance.

3. Baby proofing

When your infant holds their head up for the first time it’s such a magical moment. Before you know it they’re rolling, reaching, and crawling. As you celebrate each of these milestones you also start noticing all the ways your house maybe isn’t quite safe enough for a curious kiddo. You’re likely to keep kicking the ball of baby proofing down the road because- let’s face it – it’s a hassle and there’s not much they can get into while they’re immobile. But guess what I’ve discovered? Time flies when you’re a new mom figuring out the adventures of parenting.

I’m now baby proofing on the go because my toddler is in full-blown adventure mode. I know hands down that it would have made my life a lot easier if I’d just gotten through the biggest baby proofing steps before my munchkin was born. Installing cabinet locks or securing furniture would be at the top of my list, because they take the most time and energy.

4. Decluttering

I’ve read that a cluttered home can increase a person’s stress and anxiety levels and I feel that massively as a mom. Even though I try and tidy throughout the day and evening, I feel like my house constantly looks like a bomb went off. It’s a special kind of torture when you manage to clear a countertop only to find it loaded back up hours later.

While I definitely need to adopt rules about bringing new items into the house, I also can recognize life would be easier if I had less clutter. Here lies my next point- I should have spent more time decluttering before having a baby. Less clutter equals less time picking stuff up, having overflowing drawers and closets and nicknacks collecting dust. My advice? Minimize the chaos now because a toddler dumping their toy bin daily surely won’t inspire you to go organize your junk drawer.

5. Outdoor projects

When we moved into our current home, we inherited the previous owner’s old wooden swing set. I was not pregnant at the time. We discovered the playset had rot in several structural areas. When did we discover this? 2 weeks before my daughter’s 1st birthday. An old playset might hold your twenty pound baby in their swing, but is less likely to make the cut for 5 or 10 little kids running, jumping, and swinging from anything they can reach.

Save yourself the trouble and tackle outdoor projects (safely) before your little bundle arrives. That way you’ll have more time to enjoy your new baby and less time spent wondering when you’re finally going to make the outdoors more kid friendly. Trust me when I say helping to assemble a new swingset while also holding a squirming child is not for the faint of heart.

6. Meal Prep

I’ve never had much experience with meal prepping. Growing up, breakfast, lunch, and dinner was more of a mix between:

• What are you feeling?
• What’s in the house?
• And what can mom or dad pick up on the way home?

It didn’t get much better as I became an adult BUT I can say I’ve begun to see the error in constantly living by this model. When you’ve got a little baby to feed suddenly a lunch of chips and guacamole is not going to cut it. Nor can you spend half an hour rummaging around to figure things out before you even start cooking if you’ve got a hungry toddler running around your feet. Yes snacks are lifesavers, but so is meal planning.

If you’re a mom in the nesting stage, I’d recommend setting some time aside to make freezer friendly meals. If you stock up on those meals now you can relax during your postpartum dinner rush. Alternatively, you can create a meal planning schedule to create a healthy routine you can use throughout pregnancy and the fourth trimester.

Should I have a nesting party?

Nesting parties are gaining popularity amongst mothers and replacing the traditional baby shower. While typical baby showers are an opportunity to shower pregnant women with gifts and affection, new parents are more frequently choosing alternative events. Nesting parties are focused on completing nesting style tasks off the parent’s to-do list. While this might sound atypical it offers numerous benefits, such as:

• Reducing stress for new parents
• Sharing baby prepping responsibilities
• Skipping the weird and boring baby shower games
• Spending time with loved ones while making real progress
• Letting your family and friends make a meaningful contribution to your LO’s life

Maximize Your Nesting Energy

Maybe this article is a big list of “I wish” and “learn from my mistakes” but if it’s true it’s true! I’m all for figuring it out on the go (hello it even inspired the name for this blog) but sometimes you need a plan. If you’re a 1st time parent and your little one hasn’t made an appearance yet, I can promise tackling some of these items will make your life a lot easier. So whether you’re doing it all yourself or having a nesting party, gather your energy and persevere – your future self will thank you.