What’s the Nesting Instinct?

Traditionally the Nesting Instinct focused on cleaning and preparing for your baby’s arrival, which is totally fine but… let’s try to harness the nesting instinct energy to prepare YOU for a smoother delivery and postpartum.

Here are practical tips to help you prepare as you hunker down the last few weeks of pregnancy in preparation for your upcoming birth. Think of it as a pregnancy bubble if you will! There is so much information coming at you during your pregnancy from social media to well meaning friends, family and co-workers and sometimes the occasional unsolicited advice from strangers (insert eye roll) that stepping into your pregnancy bubble to focus on YOU and only you might just be what is needed!

• Watch videos of positive birth stories, include a variety: water birth, unmedicated birth, epidural birth, birth center, homebirth

• Read or listen to podcasts of positive birth stories, limit the negativity!

• Decide who you want or don’t want to visit postpartum, allow only the folks that will lift you up postpartum!

• Plan a meal train for postpartum, family/friends sign up to drop off/deliver meals, everyone picks a day!

Staying Hydrated During Pregnancy

Drink more water, sounds like such simple advice, however most of us do not drink as much water as we should (I know I don’t like the word should either, but please hear me out). Staying hydrated during pregnancy has many benefits.

Here are some tips to help you hydrate!

• try to drink the bulk of your water intake earlier in the day, so you’re not playing catch up at the end of the day and then stressing about having to get up for late night bathroom breaks (who wants that)?!

• drink half your body weight in ounces

• drink your water at room temperature

• don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink your water

• wrap rubberbands around your water bottle and remove one each time you drink 10oz of water, it’ll help you keep track of your intake (you have enough to think about).

Add some fruit to your water to keep things interesting! If you absolutely cannot drink plain water just add a splash of juice (this tip is also useful for labor to help keep your energy up)

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What about Caffeine?

caffeine is ok in moderation

Be mindful of additional sources of caffeine you may be adding to your daily intake without realizing it:

• the cup of caffeinated tea

• few pieces of chocolate you grabbed from your desk or your kids stash

• add the tea and chocolate to the morning brew you consumed to determine your daily caffeine intake

Keep in mind that coffee is a diuretic (draws water away from your body) if you’re having a cuppa joe add a glass of water or two to your daily intake