Moving home is stressful at the best of times; moving home when pregnant is another matter entirely. Whether you’re three, five, or even eight months pregnant, navigating this tumultuous life event requires careful preparation.
People often choose to move house while pregnant for more space, to be closer to family, or to begin a new life in the suburbs. Whatever the reason, Rachael Curran, midwife and founder of pregnancy device bitbaby has compiled a list of five top tips to help ease the process of moving house while pregnant.
5 Tips for moving house while pregnant
Research pregnancy services near your new home
Wherever you move, you’ll need to access the new pregnancy services. That could be a local preparation for a pregnancy group or the antenatal clinic. Find out where you need to go and who you need to speak to.
For most of us, it’ll likely be your local hospital. However, you’ll also need to sign up with a GP clinic in advance. Put their number in your phone in case you need urgent medical assistance. After all, they’ll be one of your go-to people once the baby is born.
It can also help to speak to a midwife in the local area before the move. They might be able to provide further advice on relieving stress when moving house while pregnant.
Research your new neighbourhood
Anxiety is often caused by the unknown. When we move homes, we find ourselves in new neighbourhoods, having to scope out the local shops, restaurants, banks, walks, clubs, pregnancy groups, and more.
Thankfully, in the days of the internet, we no longer need to do these things blindly. We can search online for local nurseries, playgroups and new parent groups – and the parents we meet there can provide some helpful information about our new area.
Take the time to learn about your new neighbourhood, and it’ll remove much of the initial trepidation at such a big life event.
Plan and organise ahead of time
Whether it be packing in advance, booking movers, or enlisting the help of friends and family, ensuring you’ve dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s will give you a sense of control over the whole process.
Minimising stress is of paramount importance, so don’t leave packing up your old home until the last minute. The sooner you can start getting organised, the calmer the process will be.
Top tip: label every box once you’ve packed it; that way, you’ll easily find your new belongings during the unpacking process. There’s nothing worse than needing a pregnancy guide or your favourite cushion only to find it’s in one of a dozen possible boxes.
Pack a three-day bag
Expect the unexpected! Life rarely runs smoothly, and even if you’ve still got a few months to go, packing a three-day bag is a sensible idea should your baby decide they’d like to see their new home a little early.
However, packing up a bag won’t just help if your waters break. Ensuring you’ve got your favourite pregnancy items – be it a body pillow, cosy blanket, or your go-to snack – can keep you calm while your belongings are all packed up.
Call in the professionals
Never try lifting heavy boxes when pregnant. Even packing is a risk. Better to leave such jobs to the professionals. Hiring professional packers and movers may seem like an added expense, but it’s well worth it. These experienced movers will ensure the whole process runs smoothly and flawlessly.
About bitbaby
Today’s guest blog is provided by bitbaby founder and midwife Rachael Curran. bitbaby is developing a wearable device for pregnant women that will monitor the movements of their baby in the later stages of pregnancy.
To read more pregnancy-related tips and find out more about the bitbaby device, head over to bitbaby’s pregnancy blog.
