Moving While Pregnant: How To Make Moving Houses Easy When You’re With Child

Moving home is a physically demanding and tiring task. Being pregnant while moving makes it more difficult and tiring.

As you may already know, stress and fatigue are two things that pregnant women shouldn’t be experiencing. However, because many parents-to-be aim to move into homes that are ideal for young children before welcoming their bundles of joy into the world, many couples still opt to move houses amidst pregnancy. It is crucial to plan and organize the move around the timeline of when the baby arrives to ensure a smooth transition.

Fortunately, there are some ways to make moving house a safe and easy endeavour for pregnant women. Here they are:

How To Make Moving While Pregnant Easy

Consult Your Doctor

Whether you like it or not, moving will take its toll on you. So, before anything else, make sure that you have the all-clear to undergo such a stressful period. Visit your doctor and make sure you are not at risk for any complications. Studies, such as those from the University of Washington, have shown that moving during pregnancy can increase stress and disrupt health checks, potentially leading to risks like low birth weight in babies.

Alternatively, if you know that you have a high-risk pregnancy or are already in your third trimester, it would be best for you to sit out the big house move or postpone moving into your new home until after you’ve given birth to your baby.

Meanwhile, if you are moving to another city or area where it would be impractical for you to keep your current health care provider, you may ask if they can refer you to a new GP or obstetrician located near your new home. If your current doctor is not able to give you a referral, it would be smart to organise your new health care provider before the big house move.

Minimize Heavy Lifting

As a pregnant woman, it’s essential to minimize heavy lifting to avoid any potential risks to your health and the health of your baby. Heavy lifting can cause back strain, joint issues, and even premature birth. To avoid heavy lifting, consider the following tips:

• Ask for help from family members or friends: Don’t hesitate to reach out to your loved ones for assistance. They’ll be more than happy to help you lift heavy objects and ensure your safety.
• Hire professional movers: Professional movers are trained to handle heavy furniture and boxes, making your move much easier and safer. They can take care of the heavy lifting, allowing you to focus on lighter tasks.
• Use proper lifting techniques: If you must lift something, make sure to bend at the knees and keep the object close to your body. This will help reduce strain on your back and joints.
• Avoid lifting heavy objects altogether: Especially during the third trimester, it’s best to avoid lifting heavy objects as much as possible. Your body is already working hard to support your baby, so give it a break!

By minimizing heavy lifting, you can reduce the risk of injury and ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy.

Prepare A Moving Checklist

Being with child comes with what people fondly call “pregnancy brain.” When you are dealing with such, it is common to lose track of dates and forget a few tasks at hand.  To make sure that it does not cost you some valuable time or money,  do consider preparing a moving checklist that outlines your moving schedule and all the tasks you need to stay on top of. 

This will also prevent you from feeling frustrated or stressed out when you miss or forget something with regard to your move. Here’s a moving checklist you may use for when you relocate.

Create a Moving Timeline

Creating a moving timeline is crucial to ensure a smooth and stress-free move. As a pregnant woman, it’s essential to plan ahead and prioritize your tasks to avoid any last-minute chaos. Here’s a suggested moving timeline:

• 8-10 weeks before the move: Start decluttering and downsizing your belongings. This is the perfect time to decide what you really need and what can be donated or discarded.
• 6-8 weeks before the move: Begin packing non-essential items, such as books and decorative items. This will help you get a head start without disrupting your daily routine.
• 4-6 weeks before the move: Pack daily essentials, such as clothes and toiletries. Make sure to leave out enough items to get you through the next few weeks comfortably.
• 2-4 weeks before the move: Finalize your moving plans, including hiring professional movers and transferring utilities. Confirm all arrangements to avoid any last-minute surprises.
• 1-2 weeks before the move: Pack a hospital bag and essentials for the new baby. Having these items ready will give you peace of mind as you approach your due date.

By creating a moving timeline, you can stay organized and focused throughout the moving process.

Avoid Heavy Lifting and Get As Much Help As Possible

When you’re pregnant, it’s a bit tempting to do your moving chores and daily routine as though nothing has changed. However, for your safety, as well as the safety of your baby, it would be best for you to recognise your limitations.  Also, remember that there are a lot of risks involved with pregnant women doing some heavy lifting

Instead of staying up late packing or attempting to move heavy boxes and bulky furniture by yourself, take all the help you can get. Moving with a first baby adds additional challenges and considerations, making it even more crucial to seek assistance. So, rally all the friends and family that you and your spouse can reach, and have them help you not just on moving day, but with all the moving-related tasks leading up to it. (i.e., sorting through your stuff, packing, scouting your new location, etc.)

Alternatively, you may also hire aremovals company to help you out with the move. Aside from doing the heavy lifting and handling the transportation of your belongings, you may also depend on them to provide you with a comprehensive moving service, which means they will also help pack, unpack, and arrange your belongings in your new home.

As difficult as it is for you to let someone else take the reins during this move, you and your spouse can rest easy knowing that your move is in great, trustworthy hands. With professional movers on the job, you can focus on less tedious moving tasks like hanging out with your kids or being on pet duty

If you’re worried about the costs of hiring a moving company, do not fret! While it seems as though you’ll be spending more by paying someone to help you move your stuff, you’re probably saving yourself more in the long run. With expert packers and movers handling your move, you’ll have to worry less about damaged or missing items.

For a comprehensive guide on moving companies, click here. Meanwhile, if you are looking to hire someone for a smaller-scale move, a man and van may be the right option for you!

Declutter to Make Room for Your Baby Bump

As you are moving house, it is also the best time to make some space for your new baby’s belongings, which you will most definitely start acquiring once you start nesting. So, before you begin packing, clear out your belongings of things you no longer want nor need. Consider renting a storage unit to store non-essential items and reduce stress during the move. Decluttering will not only help you save on moving costs but also lighten the load you will have to carry with you.

While doing this, you will probably need to lift some heavy objects or bend down to reach them. It won’t be easy to do with a baby bump in the way, so always do this with someone, like your spouse, to help you out.

Do Not Wait Until The Last Minute To Pack

Give yourself enough time to pack your belongings. Packing is an extremely stressful task, so do not put it off until the last minute as the stress and sleepless nights are not advisable for everyone, and most especially for pregnant women. Instead, start packing as early as possible so that you can take regular breaks throughout the task.

You will also want to make sure that all your boxes and containers are properly labelled. This will make unpacking much easier, later on, thus helping minimise the time you are standing on your feet, which, if done too long, can be risky for pregnant women

Pack Smart for Your Baby Bump

Packing for a move can be challenging, especially when you’re pregnant. Here are some tips to help you pack smart for your baby bump:

• Pack a separate bag with essentials: Include comfortable clothes and toiletries for the hospital and the first few days with your new baby. This will ensure you have everything you need without having to dig through boxes.
• Consider packing a “baby bump” box: Fill it with essentials like maternity clothes and baby essentials. This will make unpacking easier and ensure you have everything you need right away.
• Label boxes clearly: Consider color-coding them to make unpacking easier. This will help you quickly identify which boxes contain essential items and which ones can wait.
• Pack heavy boxes first: This will help you get the most physically demanding tasks out of the way early. Consider hiring professional movers to handle heavy lifting and ensure your safety.

By packing smart, you can reduce stress and make the moving process easier.

Conduct Research On Your New Neighbourhood

Anxiety is common both during pregnancy and when you’re moving house. So, to alleviate this anxiety, you will want to research your new neighbourhood long before moving day. This will help you anticipate and plan your daily routine as a pregnant woman and as a new mother.

Moreover, this will allow you to familiarise yourself with your new location, thus lessening the pressure and stress that usually comes with moving to a new place. It is also important to prepare both the old house and the new house for the move, ensuring that the old house is clean for new owners and the new house is ready for your family.

Prepare A Moving Day Pack and Hospital Bag

As most of your belongings will still be in boxes on moving day, it would be ideal for you to prepare a “moving kit” or “moving pack” for your first couple of nights in your new home. Some items you may want to put in your kit are:

• – Clothes
• – Medications
• – Toiletries
• – Phone charger
• – Toilet paper
• – Snacks and drinks to keep your hydration and blood sugar levels normal

You will also want to keep your hospital bag handy during this time.

Set Aside A Day To Relax Amidst The Moving Process

Despite any and all preparations that you may do, moving while pregnant is going to be an extremely stressful experience. So, you will not want to have every aspect of your life revolve around your move.  Thus, it would help if you took time off to relax and keep calm before the actual moving day. 

So, do something to distress! Whether it be socialising, doing some prenatal yoga, spending a day at the spa, or laying in bed with a good book, what’s important is that you take your mind off of moving before you come back and take on the stress once again.

Final Preparations

As the moving day approaches, it’s essential to make final preparations to ensure a smooth transition. Here are some tips to help you prepare:

• Confirm your moving plans: Double-check all arrangements with your professional movers and ensure utilities are transferred to your new address. This will help avoid any last-minute hiccups.
• Pack a “first night” box: Include essentials like toiletries and a change of clothes. This will make your first night in your new home more comfortable and stress-free.
• Take photos of electronics and furniture: Before disassembling them, take photos to make reassembly easier. This will save you time and frustration when setting up your new space.
• Consider packing a “tool kit”: Include essentials like a screwdriver and pliers. This will make unpacking and assembling furniture much easier and more efficient.

By making final preparations, you can ensure a smooth and stress-free move.

Ready To Make The Big Move?

Now, you know how to make moving while pregnant as easy and smooth-sailing as possible! However, you need to note that these are merely tips you can use if you find yourself needing it. For most of your move, though, you will still need to adapt and adjust as the situation calls for it. Just remember that for every decision you make, your safety and the safety of your baby should always be your main priority!