Have you heard stories of pregnant women who suddenly become possessed with an urge to deep – clean their entire homes from top to bottom? It does happen some times, and it is called “nesting”. Please note that I said that it happens some times, for some pregnant women. I never experienced an overwhelming urge to deep clean my house during either of my pregnancies. I kept wondering (and I am sure that my husband did too) when I would find myself washing the windows or mopping the floors like a woman possessed, but it just never happened.
If you have been bitten by the housekeeping bug, your first order of business is to check your cleaning products to see if they are safe to use. If any of them say “danger”, “toxic”, or “poison” on the label it is not a good idea to use them while you are pregnant. This does not mean that you have to refrain from doing things like cleaning your oven. It does mean that it’s time to leave those bottles of chemical cleaners on the shelf (or have someone else safely dispose of them) and get some safer natural or non-toxic cleaning supplies. If you have the time, you can save yourself some money in this department by looking online for “recipes” for making all kinds of non-toxic household cleaning products. My personal favorite is using a bowl of water and white vinegar to steam clean the microwave – it works like a charm.
Even when you are using safe cleaning products, it is important to open the windows or turn on the bathroom fan to keep fresh air circulating as you clean. Avoid heavy lifting and moving furniture – ask for help with things like rearranging the living room or putting full storage bins down into the basement. A clean home can be a positive side effect of pregnancy for some women, but don’t overwork yourself to the point of exhaustion. Also, if you are on bed rest or even if you are just feeling so tired that you can’t keep up with your usual housekeeping duties, ask for help. Friends and family are often willing to pitch in, but they won’t know that you want their help unless you ask.
Photo by lemar on morguefile.com.