Life doesn’t stop when you become pregnant, the house still gets dirty, laundry still needs to be done and meals still need to be made.  Cleaning is a fact of life, unfortunately it doesn’t go away when you become pregnant.  Hopefully your partner is taking care of some of the chores for you, but I know that you will end up being responsible for at least some of them.

Safety is important during pregnancy both to protect the little life growing inside of you and to protect yourself.  Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind as you go about your daily chores.

• Read the label.  Be careful not to use any chemicals that are unsafe for your growing baby.
• When using cleaning products be sure there is adequate ventilation, open a window.
• Take care and caution when bending.  As your body changes you may need to approach tasks a little differently than you did before.
• Watch how much and what you are lifting.  Your doctor can advise you on how much is safe for you to lift during pregnancy.  When you do lift heavier objects be sure to do so safely and bend at the knees to protect your back.
• Don’t over do it.  If you are feeling tired or warn out stop, you can always go back to it later.
• Ask you doctor if there are any special restrictions you should follow during your pregnancy.

Towards the end of my pregnancy I went through the usually nesting stage where I had to clean and organize everything in sight.  I had to be very careful to listen to my body and take a rest when I had done too much.  As with anything during pregnancy it is important to listen to your body and do whatever necessary to protect that little life growing inside of you and to protect your own ever changing body.

So nest away, just be careful and safe about it!!