As if having a baby on the way wasn’t enough to be concerned with, you have now decided to move before he or she arrives. The feeling can be overwhelming as you try to juggle two of the biggest milestones in your life – pregnancy and moving.
Don’t worry, you have plenty of options to ensure the stress of the move doesn’t interfere with your health and pregnancy, and just as many to ensure a productive moving day. So, here’s to being a Supermom, and tackling a move during pregnancy.
Plan Ahead to Decrease Anxiety and Stress
Planning is key, especially when preparing for a move during pregnancy. The stress of an unplanned move is something no expectant mom should endure. Firstly, grab a pad of paper a pen and make as many to-do lists as possible; from what to pack, what to trash; what to donate; what to do; when to do it – you name it. The more you can plan ahead of time, the better the entire process will be, and the less anxiety and stress you’ll experience. Planning ahead also provides you with the perfect opportunity to start checking off those lists well before the big day.
Avoid Heavy Lifting
As you start to tackle those to-do lists, you’ll be tempted to begin packing up some belongings. There is absolutely no problem with this. However, you have to be careful with what you pack and what you lift.
All heavy lifting should be avoided. Even if you don’t intend on moving the boxes per se, you may want to rethink trying to move heavy household items to go in those boxes. If it’s heavy, don’t lift it. To keep the move coming along smoothly, you may want to hire packers to do the packing and movers to do the lifting.
Search for a New Doctor or Hospital
Depending on how far you’re moving, you may need a new doctor and hospital to give birth. These are two things no pregnant woman wants to be unsure of, so take the time to do some research about doctors, healthcare and hospitals in the area of your new home. This will give you peace of mind knowing that your pregnancy and health will be taken care of even in the new location.
However, finding a reliable doctor and/or healthcare can be a difficult task. Ask your current healthcare provider for recommendations, and if you have friends and family in the area of your new home, they may have some insider tips on finding optimal care.
Don’t Feel Guilty for Taking Time to Relax
You won’t be able to help out as much as you want to, and this can take a toll on your already unpredictable emotions. At times like these, it’s important to leave the move to the movers and the pregnancy to the pregnant lady – you. Accept help from your loved ones, hire movers, take a seat and relax. Better yet, treat yourself to some prenatal yoga classes or a day at the spa.
Pack for Three-Days
Most people only have to pack for the first night in their new home because they can do without certain items for 24 hours. However, as a pregnant woman, you should pack for three-days because ransacking through taped-up moving boxes looking for a comfy body or a specific blanket at 4AM is never fun. When pregnant, you become attached to things that you could typically go 24 hours without. So, pack your pregnancy essentials and the items you use during a three-day period.
The most important tip to preparing for a move during pregnancy is to focus on your pregnancy and not the move. There’s only one person that can do your job, and plenty of others that can do the move.
