Nesting got you going crazy?

That one word that I had never heard of until I was pregnant. When my mother-in-law said to me "oh it sounds like you're nesting" I thought: "what am I? A damn bird?" Well, relax its normal. I just wish they'd use a better word for it. It's the best way to describe our natural instincts as we prepare to bring a little one into this crazy world. So, that explains why you have these sudden urges to make your already clean house even more clean, or freaking out if someone messes up your vacuum lines, or even wanting to re-wash everything. So, here are a few tips that have helped me get through this "nesting" phase:

1.) break down how much time you have before baby is due. (8 weeks, etc.)

2.) get a piece of paper and walk around your house. Write down everything you'd like to have done before baby arrives. Whether its cleaning the gutters, right down to packing hospital bags(Yes, even if its little projects your husband/significant other needs to help you with)

3.) sit down, and prioritize them. Break it into either monthly ie: "June" "July" or weekly. (**HINT: try to get the bigger projects done first like re-organizing closets, etc. That way you can use the energy while you have it because the farther along you get, the more uncomfortable you become so, TAKE ADVANTAGE!)

4.) once you've prioritized them, put little boxes next to each item (There is nothing like the feeling of checking those little boxes off as you get things done!)

5.) finalize it! Make sure you didn't forget anything you'd really like to finish/have done. You don't want to look around when bringing home baby and say "dammit I wish I would have done this..."

6.) Share it with your spouse/significant other. Letting them be aware of what you want/need done around the house is beneficial. They will be able to help you with some of the bigger projects and support you as you go through this phase.

Remember: Don't freak out if you don't get it all done. Thats what family/friends are for. They are going to want to help you once you bring baby home in anyway possible...use them!

I hope this helps you all because it really helped keep me and keeping my thoughts organized since having this whole "pregnancy brain" can make you feel a little out-of-wack. Please feel free to comment with any questions or concerns you may have. Thats what this site is for!