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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Moving house whilst pregnant

24 replies

FlowerPower25 · 10/04/2018 10:11

Not sure if this is the right place for this post, let me know if there's somewhere more suitable it should go!

DH's job will require us to move at some point in the next year, when I will either be fairly pregnant or have a new-born. What sort of window would you suggest as a no-move timeframe?

I'm thinking 2months before birth and 3 months after birth...? We will have lots of help from friends and family, but it will obviously be a bit stressful!!

Has anyone moved whilst pregnant or with a new baby? Would love to hear your thoughts!

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CuppaSarah · 10/04/2018 10:16

I've moved at 36 weeks honestly it was fine! As long as you sort it so you're doing the bare minimum and no lifting you can move up to a few weeks before your due date. Much easier to move before baby arrives though! Really just chose what your comfortable with.

Justletitlie · 10/04/2018 10:22

I moved house at 28 weeks and when babies were 3 months old.
It’s unsettling but there’s no reason why you can’t do it as long as you don’t lift anything heavy.
I remember going up and down the stairs too many times but it didn’t bring on early labour ...
I also remember that the only way I could clean the bath was to get in it - I was so big (twins).

You will be fine.

ijustwannadance · 10/04/2018 10:27

I did but not as far along.
The key is to prepare as much as possible.
Be organised, start now while you have more energy. Even if it's just getting rid of anything you no longer want/need.

I packed boxes then left them for DP to move and stack in one room ready to go.

MarshaBradyo · 10/04/2018 10:29

We moved when I was about 6 months

It wasn’t any different really to not being pg as had packers do everything

I’m glad it was pre baby too

lorisparkle · 10/04/2018 10:46

We ended up moving when ds1 was 6 weeks old. It was a nightmare but luckily I had lots of help. I had ended up working full time until 4 days before ds1 was born by c-section but had managed to pack with dh and my dm. On the day I went to my dm’s house whilst dh and my dad sorted out the actual moving and my dsis helped when they arrived at our new house. Unbelievably dh ‘lost’ the cat so I ended up having to put ds1 in the car seat and my dm drove us back up to the old house to catch the cat! Not how I planned my relaxing day with dm whilst dh did the work! However we managed it. We then decided to do some work to the house before unpacking so had a nightmare few months.

I would not recommend what we did but with careful planning and lots of help you should be ok.

The8thMonth · 10/04/2018 11:49

Hello! I moved house while 8 months pregnant and it was fine. My biggest stress was not the house move but rather making sure I was able to register at the new hospital and continuity of antenatal care.

The move itself was domestic, so we didn't leave the UK. Moving internationally would have been more complicated trying to find antenatal care. We had a moving company in to pack and move our stuff in a day. On day two, our family came and unpacked 80% of our stuff. It was good. It wasn't the best unpacking job (i.e. I had no idea where stuff was in my kitchen as my SIL did that, but all least I knew it was there somewhere... And I was very grateful!!!)

We also had a 1 year old who needed looking after during the move so having extra adults around to mind the kids was good.

I would rather move before the birth and then have the two months after as "no move" time. With a newborn you won't be getting much sleep and will be breastfeeding often... The only catch to moving before is just to be on top of making sure you are registered at the new hospital... This can take a week perhaps. I had to go in to the hospital, and then needed an appointment. I think I also needed proof of residency in the area.

Good luck with the move and new baby!

Hypermice · 10/04/2018 11:50

Move before. We built our house and moved in just before Dc was born - it’d have been much harder with a baby.
Hire movers if you’ll struggle with lifting

happymummy12345 · 10/04/2018 11:52

We moved 250 miles when I was 7 months pregnant. It's honestly fine I think. I did most of the packing, and on the day I just carried light stuff.

pastabest · 10/04/2018 11:56

I moved when I was about 30 weeks with DC1

It was fine, the main thing as a PP said was getting resgistered with a new GP and midwife team.

I'd probably try and move before rather than just after the baby is born though.

Original poster

FlowerPower25 · 10/04/2018 12:09

Thanks for the advice everyone!! Sounds like moving before is the ideal, we'll try to arrange for that.

Thanks again!

OP posts:

lorisparkle · 10/04/2018 12:16

Yes, our plan was to move before and I had already organised where I was having the baby based on our new house. Unfortunately as the move did not go to plan I had ds1 in our new county and had to organise the postnatal care in our old area. Complete nightmare. Not to be recommended.

Hairgician · 10/04/2018 17:24

Currently 36 weeks and we are packing yo move either this Fri or next Tues. I will be packing the boxes but no lifting and whatever cleaning I can manage. New house has had lots of work done so will be cleaning for a month to get rid of the dust.

FranticallyPeaceful · 10/04/2018 17:32

Just moved at 33 weeks pregnant. I wish I’d have done it a bit earlier but after baby would be a nightmare - definitely aim for before

1nina · 10/04/2018 17:35

We have just moved and I'm 33 weeks pregnant! I would say it's probably better to move before baby's born as at least you have a chance to nest a bit before baby arrives! Also if like us you need some painting, decorating doing, carpets laying etc, better to do it all before you have a newborn! Good luck

Pinkvoid · 10/04/2018 17:38

I moved house at 34 weeks with DC2 when I also had a one year old running around. It wasn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination but it was completely doable. The worst thing was my crazy nesting instincts and wanting everything sorted as quickly as possible...

BarryTheKestrel · 10/04/2018 17:41

We got the keys at 6 months, spent a month decorating and renovating the house then moved at 7 months. I spend a lot of time sat packing boxes/unpacking boxes whilst DH and other family members did the heavy lifting. If we hadn't had family around i would have paid someone to help with the lifting.
Did most of the renovation myself though, just avoided ladders as much as possible.

It's stressful but totally doable.

WineAndTiramisu · 10/04/2018 21:15

We moved last weekend at 38 weeks, glad we did it before dd arrives, I assume that would be a lot harder!

Talcott2007 · 10/04/2018 21:20

Definetly move before baby arrives! We picked up the keys to our house on the Friday, I was induced on the Sunday and DD finally made an appearance on the Tuesday...I moved into the new house straight from the hospital....that wasn't fun at all!

SockQueen · 10/04/2018 22:28

We moved when DS was 5 weeks old. I do not recommend it, but it's doable if needed.

We'd intended to move when I was about 7 months pregnant but there was a lot of solicitor faff and it just got draaagggggged out. We splashed the cash to get a full packing and moving service, which was hugely useful, but still left me with rooms full of boxes to sort out at the new house while trying to entertain/feed a tiny baby. But we all survived so it's not impossible!

Original poster

FlowerPower25 · 11/04/2018 14:43

Thanks everyone, pretty unanimous opinion here about moving before!

DH is starting a new branch of the business, so hopefully he can get it set up in time for us to move before December (when BC is due). But reassuring to hear that others have moved with a newborn and have lived to tell the tale!

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MNHQ

HebeMumsnet · 11/04/2018 14:56

Hey OP.

I did it at 39 weeks. In heavy snow, too - not my finest hour but there wasn't much choice. Was horrendous but better than with a week old baby I think.

If you have a choice I'd go for before the birth but you will cope if that can't happen.

Couple of tips - either way I'd recommend paying someone to do all your packing and unpacking. It didn't cost us much extra to have the removals people put up all the nursery furniture for us and beds etc so that we could just walk straight in and fall into bed. Was money well spent.

Secondly, if you get any trouble with your chain towards the end just go and hang out with your bump in your estate agent's office. The occasional exclamation of surprise at a twinge or towel laid carefully on one of their tub chairs does wonders for their productivity in my experience!

Good luck!

Original poster

FlowerPower25 · 11/04/2018 15:36

@HebeMumsnet great tip, thanks! 😂 I'll have my towel ready at the estate agents come November!

OP posts:

AnnaT45 · 11/04/2018 18:41

Hi OP,

I did it at 36 weeks with a one year old and my mum was dying in a hospice. We paid movers to do all the packing and had family and friends muscle in and I didn't lift a finger!
Best time to move I tell people 😂

You'll be fine! Good luck

Original poster

FlowerPower25 · 11/04/2018 19:13

Oh my goodness @AnnaT45 what a stressful time to move! Think we will definitely pay for packers and movers... thanks!

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