At first glance, pregnancy and relocation are not compatible with each other. Pregnancy is stressful and difficult enough on its own. The physical and hormonal changes to your body will leave you tired, in pain and often emotional in ways you don’t expect. This is not the ideal state you want to be in when moving house as the process takes a lot out of you both physically and mentally. And yet, you may find yourself in a situation where you must relocate close to the birth of your child. After all, you can’t always plan and choose the timing of everything. So should you wait until after the baby is born? Or is moving while pregnant the better choice for you?
Consider your options
In some cases, you won’t have a choice. Your partner may be in the military and relocating with new orders or one of you may be starting a new job; your lease may be up or your house may have sold sooner than you expected. For these or other reasons, you may have a non-negotiable moving date. But for the most part, you will have some wiggle room. You may, therefore, be able to postpone moving to Florida until after the birth. So should you?
Why should you wait until after the baby is born?
For many new or soon-to-be parents, moving after the baby is born is simply easier. Yes, there will be an extra tiny human involved, but at least they won’t be inside of you. You won’t be carrying the weight of another person with you everywhere you go. This means less strain on your body, particularly your back and joints which, as you may have noticed, are both very important if you plan on extensively cleaning, packing, lifting or really doing any of the activities involved with a move.
You may also be surprised to find that babies are not as difficult to handle as everyone has always told you. Yes, they sometimes wake up at inopportune times (3 in the morning, for example) and they sometimes cry for seemingly no reason. But they also spend a lot of time sleeping. Seriously, a lot. As long as you keep them warm, dry, fed and well-rested they shouldn’t give you too much trouble during the move. They won’t care about the chaos of packing and relocating. Actually, they probably won’t even notice that you’ve moved.
Of course, your list of priorities for the move will have to adjust if you have a baby. But even that could be a good thing – you won’t be unpacking, rearranging and settling into a new place instead of spending some quality time with your newborn. And when you do move, you will know exactly the kind of space you need for the new addition to the family as you will have spent some time figuring it out before the move.
Why would moving while pregnant be the right choice for you?
Moving while pregnant may not sound like a good idea at first. But it does have certain advantages. For one, it will be far easier to go to open houses, research reputable moving companies Fort Lauderdale or meet with realtors, bankers and lawyers when you’re not also caring for an infant at the same time. Babies are notoriously unpredictable. You may need to change a diaper, nurse them or put them to sleep at a time when you don’t expect it. And, for the most part, open houses and meetings won’t wait for that.
Moving into a new house before the baby comes is also a great opportunity to arrange it exactly as you need it to be for your new and growing family. You probably weren’t thinking about the sharp edges of the coffee table when you first bought it. And your power outlets, do they all still have covers? How about the carpet – when was the last time it was deep cleaned? Is your old walk-in closet really the best place for a nursery? That is a lot of home renovation projects in your future!
But instead of babyproofing and adjusting your old home, you can start over in a new one. If you’re moving while pregnant, you have a chance to create a new and better home. You can choose a house with the perfect room for a nursery, get rid of old furniture that no longer fits your lifestyle, and make the perfect space that suits all of the members of your family – even the newborn one!
How can a baby make relocation harder?
Waiting until after the baby is born may postpone your plans more than you think. Postnatal recovery can be a lot harder and take a lot longer than you expect. Besides, when the baby comes, you will want to dedicate all your time to them so relocation will be put on the back-burner. And don’t forget that babies like routine. Relocation might make them cranky and disrupt their sleep patterns. An unhappy baby puts more stress on you and that is certainly not something you want if you’re trying to make your move more enjoyable.
Moving while pregnant done right
If you do decide on moving while pregnant, make sure you do it safely. Here are some of the things you can do to ensure your and your unborn child’s safety:
- talk to your doctor before, during and after the move
- get more help from professionals, friends, and family than you normally would
- bend and lift safely (or have someone else do it)
- be careful on the stairs
- avoid toxic chemicals (including strong cleaners)
- add frequent breaks to your pre- and post-move checklists so as not to overwork yourself
What is the verdict on moving while pregnant?
Like with every other choice you will make as a pregnant person and later parent, someone somewhere will judge you no matter what you decide on. So don’t worry about what others say! Decide on what is right for you and your family. For some people and in some situations, moving after the baby comes is better. And for others, moving while pregnant is preferable. Every pregnancy is different, so the choice should be yours and yours alone.
