Updated on November 29, 2024
Congratulations, you will be bringing a new baby home soon! We want you to have the smoothest move and moving day possible so you can focus on welcoming new life to your family. Making a big move while pregnant definitely adds to an already exhausting situation, but there are ways to reduce the stress for mom and baby.
So whether you just got the news or are moving while 8 months pregnant, check out these tips for planning your move and finding the best way of settling into your new home despite the circumstances.
Tips for Relocating While Pregnant
One of the best pieces of advice for pregnant women when it comes to moving is to listen to your body. There is going to be a lot of heavy lifting, walking, and long hours associated with any move, so finding the right balance of rest and self-care will be vital during the moving and packing process. This is the time to solicit help from family members, friends, and even hire professional labor assistance to do most of the grunt work.
Here are some more in-depth tips you can use to make moving while pregnant a bit easier and stress-free:
1. The first step is to talk to your doctor about moving home during pregnancy. They can discuss physical limitation guidelines specific to your health and situation, as everyone and every pregnancy is different. The key is to stay healthy, both physically and mentally, throughout the entire process. Heed your doctor’s advice, and don’t do anything to jeopardize your or your baby’s health.
2. The key to ensuring your move goes smoothly is creating a detailed plan and staying organized. You should start planning your move at least two months ahead of the date you would like to move. Start by packing non-essential items and cross everything off your list a little at a time. Packing while pregnant should be a marathon event instead of a final sprint. Consider downloading our moving checklist and use it to start your moving plan early so you can reduce stress and problems as you get closer to your moving and due date.
3. The time to declutter and organize is before your move. There may not be the time or the energy needed to tackle this after moving, and certainly not after the baby comes home. Work with your partner or with family and friends to sort out what you need vs what you aren’t using anymore. You will bring more stuff to your new home for your baby, so it is best to make room now. Make it easier on yourself by only moving items that you regularly use, love, or need to survive.
4. It is hard to imagine how one tiny human being can require so much stuff, but that is life with a baby. Hold off on purchasing baby gear or having a baby shower until after your move, leaving fewer items to move from one home to another. If you receive items beforehand, keep them in the original boxes, making them much easier to move.
5. Getting stir-crazy and wanting to help is only natural, which means you can find yourself asking, “can I move furniture while pregnant?” While you should always consult your doctor before doing anything laborious, we highly suggest you leave all the heavy lifting to someone else. Pregnancy is certainly not the time to bend, lift, and struggle with lifting heavy objects. Consider recruiting family and friends to help carry, pack, and load your stuff so you don’t have to.
6. If cleaning is made hard by your pregnancy or all the other things you need to take care of, consider hiring a cleaning service for the final cleaning of the home you are vacating and to prepare your new home. Another idea is to schedule a deep clean right before the baby is born or while you are in the hospital is even better as this will allow you to come home to a super clean house!
7. Remain calm during your move. Even babies in the womb are intuitive and easily pick up on the stress around them. So take a deep breath and stay as calm as possible because an anxious mama can make your move more challenging and stressful than it needs to be. One way to reduce stress on your moving day is to confirm the details with your mover about 5-7 days out. Confirm that they will have your moving solution or deliver your container at the previously agreed upon time and that there are no additional details they need.
8. Some moving options are more pregnancy-friendly than others. Full-service packers and movers would be the easiest option as they will do all the work for you, but this is the most expensive option. Having a moving company you can trust during this time is essential! Get multiple quotes and find the best mover for your needs. Remember, the cheapest company isn’t going to give you the worst service, but you do get what you pay for in most instances. Consider the pros and cons of each service provider and how they can make your move while pregnant easier.
Make Moving Simpler With 1-800-PACK-RAT
We hope these tips for moving while pregnant help you and your family move smoothly. If you are looking for a moving company to help make your move easier, we can help!
A portable storage container from 1-800-PACK-RAT can make the moving process more manageable and less stressful. We service local and long-distance moves by dropping off a mobile storage unit at your home. You can pack your moving container at your own pace after it is delivered to your home, then leave the driving to us! And if you need temporary storage between move-in and move-out dates or until after your child is born, we can take care of that as well, with over 70 nationwide facility locations!
We have the most flexible moving solution in the industry, tailor-made for families expecting newborns who need extra time to pack and handle the logistics of the move itself. We even offer trusted third-party professional labor providers and auto transportation partners that can pack and load your stuff or move your vehicles for you if needed. We can make your move as easy as possible and remove the stress that gets added on with other more traditional moving options like large moving rental trucks you have to pack and drive yourself.
Whatever your needs might be, 1-800-PACK-RAT makes moving and storage simple. Call us or go online for a free quote to make your life and move easier today!