Living and Loving – September 2019

WORDS

NIKKI DUTTON/BAUER SYNDICATION

PHOTOGRAPHY

GALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCK

YOU’RE 38 WEEKSPREGNANTAND

NOTICEACOUPLEOFSCUFFSON

YOURLIVINGROOMWALL.DOYOU:

Walkrightonpastthem.

Puttingyourfeetuponthe

couchwithacuppaissomuch

moreimportantrightnow!

Makeamentalnoteto

putremovingthemon

tomorrow’sto-dolist.

Dashofftogetaclothand

somehotsoapywater–you

can’tpossiblybringyour

babyintothismess!

YOUDECIDETODOSOMEBATCH

COOKING,SOYOU’VEGOT

SOMETASTYMEALSAFTERYOUR

BABYARRIVES.DOYOU:

Makedoubletheportionof

thespaghettiBolognaiseyou

wereplanningforteaand

freezewhatyoudon’teat.

Makeaweek’sworthofcurries,

pastasandalasagne,and

labelthemtogointhefreezer.

Plan out an entire month’s

worth of meals and go on

a cooking mission.

L&L | SEPTEMBER 2019 | 15

pregnancy & birth

HOW STRONG IS YOURNESTING INSTINCT?

YOU’RE ON YOUR HANDS

AND KNEES SCRUBBING THE

KITCHEN FLOOR WHEN YOUR

PARTNERWALKSIN.DOYOU:

Hand over the brush –

yourback’skillingyou!

Agree that the floor wasn’t

that dirty to begin with,

butcarryonregardless.

Tell him he’d better get

his dirty shoes off your

super-clean floor – now!

YOU “ACCIDENTALLY” BOUGHT

EVEN MORE BABYGROS

WHEN YOU POPPED OUT

TOGETSUPPER.DOYOU:

Leave them in the bag

• they can go straight
  into your hospital bag
  whenyoupackthat.
  Dream about your
  baby as you add them
  to the already big
  pileinthedrawer.
  Tip everything out of the
  babygro drawer, refold
  the lot and rearrange
  them in colour order.

MostlyAs:

RelaxedRobin

You’reachilled-outmom-to-be.

Ofcourseyouwanteverythingto

bereadyforwhenyourbabyarrives,

butyouknowthere’sreallynoneedto

makeeverythingabsolutelyperfect.

Youunderstandthatthebestthing

rightnowistorestup,readyfor

whenyourbabyarrives,andlet

someoneelseworryabout

thewashingup.

MostlyBs:

MotherHen

Yournestinginstincthaswoken

upandyou’rereallyenjoying

potteringaroundathome,getting

everythingorganisedand,yes,having

thebestexcuseintheworldtogo

shopping!Youknowthateverychore

thatgetsdoneaheadofyourduedate

meansyoucanrelaxandenjoy

yourgorgeousnewbornallthe

morewhenhearrives.

MostlyCs:

On-it Owl

Youwantyourhomeand

everythinginittobejustright,ready

foryourbaby.Butonceyougetintothe

cleaningzone,orstartgettingorganised,

youfinditdifficulttostop−evenwhen

youknowyou’retiredandneedtorest.

“Ifyougettothepointthatyoururge

tocleanisimpactingonyourdaily

life,talktoyourmidwife,”

saysRebecca.

Switch into

mom mode

“Your nesting instinct is also an

evolutionary way of helping you think

like a mom,” says Rebecca. “It switches

you into thinking and acting in ways

that help you put your baby first.”

If you find yourself struggling with

a strong or seemingly random urge,

re-frame it around your new priorities,

and it’ll make far more sense. So,

rather than thinking “I’ve got this

crazy urge to clean out the fridge

again!”, reframe it into “My mama-

to-be instinct to clean out the fridge

has kicked in to encourage me to

fill it up with healthy food to nurture

myself and my baby.” That will help

you channel your energy into more

constructive tasks, perhaps researching

nutritious post-birth foods online.

Nesting is your brain’s way of

sharpening your focus and spotting

what might need doing to keep

your baby safe. So, you’re not over-

reacting because your partner left

his shoes in the middle of the floor,

you’re already being a great mom.

“The nesting instinct kicks in

during the third trimester as rises

in the hormone prolactin, which

stimulates milk production, and

oxytocin, the bonding hormone,

both send strong signals to your

brain to prepare for and protect

your baby,” explains Rebecca.

“Not all women experience

the nesting instinct to the same

degree, however, and some

don’t experience it at all.” LL