Life

What It Means If You Don't Feel The Urge To Nest

If you haven't already figured it out, pregnancy can make you do some strange things, from forgetting your keys to craving peanut butter milkshakes. And even if you don't consider yourself the world's best housekeeper, some time around the fifth month of your pregnancy, you may find yourself cleaning and organizing parts of your home you've never even thought about before. But if you're expecting and haven't felt the urge to reorganize the closets or alphabetize your spices, you may be wondering what it means if you don't feel the urge to nest.

As Marla Anderson of the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour mentioned in Science Daily, a mother's desire to provide a safe and welcoming environment for her baby has been around since the beginning of time, and is not unique to humans. Most animals exhibit nesting qualities when they are expecting. And although birds use their waiting period to build a cozy new nest for their babies, nesting behavior can take on lots of different forms in human beings.

But not all pregnant women will get the urge to clean their baseboards — and that is totally normal. According to a poll conducted by the website, Baby Center, 27 percent of respondents did not nest at all during their pregnancy. Your level of energy, your body's response to pregnancy hormones, and whether or not this is your first pregnancy can all play a role in whether or not you feel the desire to nest.

If you're worried that you'd rather soak in your tub than clean it, check out this list of reasons why some moms don't get bit by the cleaning bug. It's important to remember that whether you nest or not will have no impact on your child's well-being or the kind of mother you will be. Instead, let your instincts and your body guide your behavior.

1

Pregnancy Hormones Can Affect Moms Differently

When you're pregnant, just about any unusual behavior can be blamed on hormones. Nesting is no exception. According to Pregnancy & Newborn, the pregnancy hormones progesterone and prolactin are a big factor in why moms-to-be choose to go to into organization overdrive. However, the hormones, which generally causes women to become calmer, may give some expectant moms a strong desire to just sit on the couch and catch up on the last season of Game of Thrones.

2

You're Just Plain Tired

Yeah, cleaning out the refrigerator sounds like a good idea, but there's no way your swollen feet are going anywhere near the kitchen right now. According to Parents Canada, some expectant mothers are too tired to go into full nesting mode. And that's completely oOK. After all, you have been carrying another life around for months. If that's the case, don't hesitate to call on your village to help get your house baby ready.

3

You're Nesting, You Just Don't Know It

Although you may not feel the urge to clean, your credit card has definitely been getting a workout as you shop for all of the adorable onesies you can find online. Believe it or not, even shopping is a nesting behavior, according to Pregnancy.org.

4

You're Relaxed

As pediatrician Cathryn Tobin mentioned in Parents, some women go into nesting mode as a way to channel their anxiety about giving birth. This is especially the case for first-time moms. If you've experienced childbirth before, or if you're just in total Zen mode, you may not feel an overwhelming need to give your house a full makeover.

5

It May Still Happen

If your due date is approaching and you still haven't felt the need to lift a finger, don't worry. Keep in mind that every mom is different and every pregnancy is different. According to Very Well, nesting behavior can occur at any time during pregnancy, even a few days before birth.