Parentpedia

What Experts Say

When women find out they're pregnant, they may suddenly have the urge to rearrange the furniture, organize the closet, and water the plants. This newfound domesticity is usually referred to as "nesting," and it may last for a few weeks or for the duration of the pregnancy.

In the days leading up to the due date, some women may find themselves nesting like crazy: suddenly the top of the refrigerator needs scrubbing or 2,154 family photos must be put in albums. According to the Mayo Clinic, this burst of domestic energy at the end of the pregnancy is one of the signs, like the cervix dilating or losing the mucous plug, that labor is imminent.

Whether you tend to be domestic or not, nesting while gestating can bring deep satisfaction and a sense of anticipation. There's a reason to paint the spare room, after all, because a special person will soon see it.

While you enjoy this domestic purposefulness and make your nest welcoming, there are a few guidelines for safe nesting:

When possible, let your partner do the painting. Prolonged exposure to toxic chemicals has been known to cause birth defects and though painting a nursery doesn't count as "prolonged," pregnant women should limit their exposure to toxins.

Choose to use non-toxic cleaning products. Once you have a crawling baby, you'll want to get rid of any potentially poisonous household products anyway. A good time to transition to non-toxic cleaning products is during pregnancy as an extra precaution for the fetus. You can find natural products at any supermarket or make your own by using vinegar and water instead of conventional cleaner and baking soda as an abrasive.

Stay away from the litter box. As much as your cat is your first baby, you don't want to be changing the litter box or cozying up to your cat too much because cat feces carry a parasite called toxoplasma gondii that can harm the fetus. This is the time for your spouse or partner to do litter duty.