What is nesting? Is it a real thing?
What is nesting? Is it real? When will I feel the urge to nest? Don’t worry—we’re here to give you all the details on the nesting instinct and to reassure you that you’re not crazy. It’s completely natural to want to vacuum at 3 AM—but maybe wait until the sun comes up.
This might be the first time you’ve heard of nesting, especially if this is your first baby. You may have already spent months washing and folding tiny baby clothes before your little one arrives—if for no other reason than because they just look so darn cute! However, nesting typically happens toward the end of pregnancy, when your body is surging with hormones. Though it can happen at any time during pregnancy, these hormonal shifts often trigger an instinctive and primal urge to organize, clean (and re-clean!), declutter, or completely rearrange the space where you’ll bring your baby home.
These natural instincts are all part of the process of preparing for your baby. However, if you’re wondering, "Why hasn’t this happened to me yet?"—don’t worry! Not everyone experiences nesting, and that’s completely normal too.
Nesting behavior is common in animals like birds and squirrels. It can also be linked to mild anxiety—understandable, given that you’re about to experience a life-changing event!
When it comes to cleaning or reorganizing, we say go with the flow—within reason! These energy bursts come on quickly, but they also fade just as fast. Let’s be real—by the time you reach 40 weeks and are carrying the equivalent of a giant watermelon, that sudden surge of motivation won’t last long! So embrace the nesting instinct while it lasts, and then get back to enjoying your pregnancy, where you fully deserve to be pampered.
