There are a myriad of things that happen when a person is pregnant. Pregnant people tend to go through a lot of things, which might or might not be unheard of. In this article, we will discuss nesting instinct during pregnancy. Read on to find out everything that you need to know about this nesting instinct.

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In this article:

When does an Expectant Mom Start Experiencing the Urge of Nesting?
Symptoms of Nesting Instinct During Pregnancy
Duration : Nesting Instinct During Pregnancy
Will Nesting Re-Occur in Every Pregnancy?
Is Nesting Harmful to Pregnancy?

All You Need to Know about Nesting Instinct During Pregnancy

Nesting refers to the process or act of preparing your home, or ‘nest’, to welcome the baby into the world. Generally, a nesting mother prepares the home physically in order to ensure the safety of the newborn, engaging in baby-proofing the home, deep cleaning it, sometimes even doing loads of laundry. Female nesting is not harmful in any way – it is simply a biological condition that points to our animalistic pasts, our instincts. Women have also been observed to stay closer to their home when the nesting stage during pregnancy arrives.

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When does an Expectant Mom Start Experiencing the Urge of Nesting?

In many cases, nesting can strike the woman as early as the second trimester. This is because the energy levels of the women are higher at that stage, and they might find themselves channeling all this energy into cleaning their home. However, nesting is sure to affect the woman closer to the due date, in the last weeks of pregnancy. Adrenaline flows through at high levels during this time, and women usually tackle that by improving their living conditions. It is even said that when a woman starts cleaning her home in a frantic manner in the third trimester, it can be taken as a sign that she is about to go into labour.

Symptoms of Nesting Instinct During Pregnancy

There are no outright symptoms to nesting, as it is more of a psychological condition than anything else. If you are wondering if you may be nesting, there is a huge chance that you probably are. There are other social effects too- you find yourself staying closer to home, and becoming choosier about which you spend your time with. You might even think too far into the future and stress out about it, like the impact the child may have in your professional life. Other common signs include an unstoppable urge to clean every inch of the house, do all the laundry and organize everything you see at home. Symptoms indicate that you are going to become a mother soon, and that is a good thing because mothers become more accustomed to the idea as time progresses.

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Duration : Nesting Instinct During Pregnancy

In most cases, nesting instincts reduce after the newborn baby has arrived into the household. However frantic the mother may have been in the nesting period during pregnancy, nesting is sure to stop after pregnancy. This is because parents spend most of their time after the baby is born tending to the child, that they have no energy left for any other activity. This also means that they never have enough time for normal household chores, let alone neurotic cleaning impulses. Due to this lack of energy, time and motivation in the mother, nesting instincts drop down dramatically after the baby is born.

Will Nesting Re-Occur in Every Pregnancy?

If you had the instinct your first time, there is a huge possibility that you will experience it in subsequent pregnancies. ‘expanding the nest’ is more the focus for the first time, and mothers may find themselves preparing for the eventual arrival of the second child. However, it is usually mellower this time- you might just have to repeat the previous activities to satisfy the craving. So activities, like getting the old baby clothes out and installing the toddler seat in the car, might be all you do the second time around.

Is Nesting Harmful to Pregnancy?

Nesting on itself is not harmful in any way, but the activities you do as a result can be harmful to you:

• If you feel like painting or cleaning using chemicals, make sure that the area is always well-ventilated.
• Never climb ladders for any reason, whether it is to dust your old painting or to hang a calendar.
• Do not overexert yourself with the chores- always be hydrated and take regular breaks.
• If you find yourself attacked by anxiety and losing sleep over minor things, be sure to talk to a doctor regarding those problems.

Nesting is beneficial in most ways, as it gives you the energy and the motivation to make those last-minute arrangements to welcome your child into the world. All that matters is the things you do with the adrenaline rush you get- you can get a lot of arrangements done in the short period. However, if you feel that things are getting out of hand with all the fretting, make sure to pay a visit to the doctor.

References

Https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/s1090513813000706