Moving house in the third trimester... are we mad?!

[PrincessJenga]

I am writing this while surrounded by boxes and bubble wrap in the hope that our house move will finally go through next week. I've noticed I'm not the only one. Quite a few people have mentioned on various threads that they are moving house during their final few weeks of pregnancy. Are we mad? Is it some kind of 'Extreme Nesting'?

I only did about two hours worth of packing earlier before feeling too weak to do any more. I've been getting contractions all day (Braxton Hicks I hope!) and I'm looking round the house in panic as I wonder how we're going to get it packed up and sorted in time.

How are the rest of you handling it? And what will you do on moving day? I expect I'll be Chief Tea Maker, but think -my control freak tendencies will take over and-- I'll feel like I should be doing more.

My family moved from Japan to Belgium when I was 28 weeks pregnant with DS and had 1 year old DD.
It really was as tiring as you describe.
Packing and unpacking boxes around the bump was not the easiest.

However, it can be done.
Although there's a lot to be done, try to take it easy. Work at the pace you are able to in your condition and don't expect too much of yourself.
When you feel the braxton hicks, take a rest. Don't push yourself.

You should definitely do your best to stand aside and let other people take the strain. Always the hardest part!
Good luck with it.

I'm a pro. Moved 10 days before DS arrived and will be moving about 5 weeks before this one comes

Luckily both times we've only moved short distances. Last time i went to a spa for the day with my best friend on actual moving day. Would highly recommend this approach

This tine we're just moving 10
Mins away and we've got a two week overlap (moving out of rented) so hopefully can stagger it a bit

Thanks ladies. Mumswang you're a genius. We're only actually moving two miles, but I'll show DP your post and google spas!

Do it! You'll be no use on moving day and will just get fed up, grumpy and frustrated that no one is doing it right but you can't do it yourself.

I had some special yummy tummy mummy something or other massage. It was lovely. And we had lunch and a little glass of bubbly at the spa, undoubtedly the best thing to do

I'm moving in the second Tri, in 3 weeks- will be 23 weeks but I also have SPD.

MY DP is being wonderful and saying he'll pack everything, usually I'm the chief packer and a bit of a control freak! Can't imagine not being able to shift furniture about myself but I did insist on TTC before we moved (telling DP it would probably take 6 months then got BFP after first month)

It does feel like preparing for the ultimate nesting, and I've been quite impatient to get in there and make a start.

We're also staggering it cos we're going from rented to our own house, we'll have the keys for a week and a half before we move and have another week after that to clean the old house. Means DP will have time to do it all

Also we are, of course, getting movers to shift everything so that we should be in and furniture in the right places by midday on moving day, without being physically exhausted.

Let me know how it goes princess

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one moving so late in the pregnancy. I'm also beginning to think I'm completely bonkers. We're planning on moving countries at about 35-36 weeks. Is this completely insane? I've checked with the airline, and I can fly with a doctors note up until 36 weeks. I'm not too worried about unpacking....I've got loads of family and friends who are very eager to help, but I'm worried that I'll be too exhausted to pack...I've got a full time job and a half, and live quite far away from the office....but it's comforting to see that so many others have done it.

I originally thought that we would drive our cars down (UK to Malta)...but I've decided that this will be taking things a step too far, so hopefully DH and a friend can do this. Is it really uncomfortable to drive long distances in your third trimester? I'm only 17+5 weeks right now, so still don't know how i'll feel when I get really big.

Any advice on how to cope? Good luck with the move Princess

Me too! We are moving cities with 3yo DD when I am 30 weeks... Our new house is having work done so we are moving in with my mum and praying the house gets done before our planned homebirth... Argh.

I'm moving at 34 weeks! At least i'll have an excuse to just make the tea etc :D

I am 36 weeks and hoping to move to new house before LO is born (fingers crossed). Only moving 2 streets away but packing is a really slow process. If I stand for too long I get back ache and sharp pain through pubic bone. My mum has helped a bit but she works full time and DH is doing lots of overtime to help with the finances of moving, he worked 69 hrs last week so any days off he has he needs his rest. Hoping to have 2 weeks with t keys as our house is being compulsory purchased by the council to be demolished for regeneration. On moving day hoping to be at the new house end so furniture etc end up in t correct rooms. I am carefully labelling everything that goes in the boxes in case I can't unpack straight away. Really hope to be in new house soon as can't fit a baby here amongst the boxes!

Thank you all. It somehow feels better to realise I'm not the only one! (& that many of you are planning much more dramtic moves!)

Unfortunately I don't think we can arrange a staggered move so I'll be cleaning here as DP & friends load the vans, then 'politely advising' (bossing!) everyone round at the new place. I will book the spa for a few days later though.

It feels stressful now, but can't wait to decorate the nursery!

I'm moving house at 36 weeks in just under two weeks time . We moved at 7 months last time ourselves and I swore never again so we are paying for packers and movers this time. Although I will still need to clean and unpack will be much better as due to SPD can only stand for about 10 mins at a time!

I still think I would prefer to move now rather than in a few weeks with a newborn! We're also hoping for a home birth so just home I don't end up giving birth in the moving van .

I know sooo many people who said they moved at a similar gestation so I think it really is a form of extreme nesting! And also how long it takes to sell a house, find a house, conveyancing etc

This thread reminds me of last year when we moved house, ds4 was late and we actually moved house when he was 3 days old. Good luck OP don't stress it'll be fine xxx