The syndrome or instinct of the nest is an irrepressible urge to put the house in order for the arrival of the baby. This behavior is usually observed in the third trimester of pregnancy, and although there are numerous hypotheses to try to explain it, everything would be summed up in the mother’s need to control the new situation through tidy and clean activities that give her peace of mind.
Thus, it is frequent that as the delivery approaches, the pregnant woman has to organize her house and do tasks that perhaps she had not done for a long time, such as painting the walls, rearranging the furniture in the rooms, emptying and re-ordering the closets , wash the curtains …
As we said, these types of activities help the pregnant woman to control the anxiety caused by the imminent arrival of the baby, but it is important that they are carried out safely and being aware of the physical limitations that an advancing state of pregnancy entails.
Therefore, if you find yourself in this situation right now, we give you some tips so that you can face the nest syndrome without any risk to you and your baby.
Do not climb stairs or chairs
Although it may be tempting to lower the curtains, clean the lamps, or remove that fluff you see on the ceiling, do not climb on chairs, stools or stairs , since the increase in weight and the change in your center of gravity could cause you to lose the balance more easily.
Use objects to help you clean the high areas or ask someone else to do it for you, and you will not run any risk.
Be careful with the paint on the walls
If you are going to paint the baby’s room, remember that there are paints that can contain toxic substances and affect health.
For this reason, it is essential to choose approved paints that do not contain heavy metals . In this sense, there is the option of ecological, natural paints, ceramic paints … with non-toxic raw materials and with very little odor.
Another recommendation is to ventilate the room well while painting and afterwards , and avoid entering the room for a few days, as the smell of paint could cause eye irritation, discomfort, nausea or headaches.
Likewise, and as we mentioned in the previous point, it is preferable to take care of the lower part of the wall and leave the heights to others.
Be very careful with cleaning products
At Bebés y Más we have spoken on several occasions about the importance of keeping cleaning products locked up and out of the reach of children, as they are the main cause of domestic accidents and poisonings.
And it is that products such as bleach or chlorine, pesticides or ammonia, to give just a few examples, can cause serious damage to the skin or mucous membranes if they accidentally come into contact, or even cause headaches, dizziness or respiratory problems after prolonged exposure or improper use.
Therefore, whenever we are going to handle this type of product, it is advisable to do so with gloves and a mask, and ventilating the house well.
Avoid standing for a long time
Do not do activities that involve standing for a long time as this clearly increases the risk of back pain, lower back pain or lower back pain, as well as circulation problems (edema, varicose veins, hemorrhoids …); especially towards the end of pregnancy.
It is also advisable to avoid those activities that involve a lot of energy expenditure , as well as making the necessary stops to rest. Remember that you have to save your strength for the great moment of labor that is coming and it is not advisable to arrive exhausted.
Take care of your posture
Back pain during pregnancy is very common due to the increase in the curvature of the spine and the relaxation of the abdominal and gluteal muscles.
Although it is not always possible to prevent this discomfort, we can do it to a great extent by paying attention to our posture and avoiding those movements, muscular tensions or intense efforts that could aggravate the pain or even cause an injury.
Thus, among the tips that you should take into account is to bend down by bending your knees and not bending your back, avoid dragging furniture or heavy objects, do not lift weight and always try to keep your back straight, with relaxed shoulders and neck.
If you are going to carry out an activity that involves spending a lot of time sitting (for example, ordering drawers or cabinets), it is recommended that you rest your entire back on the backrest, try to keep your feet slightly elevated and do circular exercises with your ankles or stand up from Occasionally.
Kitchen precautions
And if you have decided to cook numerous dishes to freeze later and thus have them ready when your baby is born, the kitchen will be the room in the house where you have been spending the most time lately.
But cooking with a nine-month-old belly is not only not easy, it can increase the risk of accidents in the kitchen. That is why it is important to take all precautions so that this activity is safe.
Photos | Photo 1 (Karolina Grabowska in Pexels), Photo 2 (SHVETS production in Pexels), Photo 3 (Pavel Danilyuk in Pexels), Photo 4 (Matilda Wormwood in Pexels) Cover photo (Matilda Wormwood in Pexels)
In Babies and More | 11 home gadgets that make life easier for parents (and allow us to spend more time with our children), How the baby’s room should be and what to take into account to decorate it, Indeed, gentlemen: it is not easy to do all homework with a pregnant belly
