Forced Nesting?

"The nesting instinct is the name given to the distinctive urge to clean, tidy, and organize that occurs during pregnancy. One of the many pregnancy symptoms that you will experience, the nesting instinct generally kicks in around the fifth month of pregnancy, however it can also occur much earlier or much later. Many women acutely experience the nesting instinct in the final days of their pregnancy, and this can often be a sign that labor and delivery is close at hand."

But then again, what if this "primal" instinct never kicks in? What if 16 days out, I still haven't cleaned my house, made a list of baby names, or even packed my hospital bag? Females all over the animal kingdom apparently have this urge--a burst of energy to help them prepare for the imminent birth of their child, but somehow it skipped me.

So this past week, I set out on a plan to force "nesting". I made elaborate lists of things that I must accomplish and set aside time for shopping, cleaning and organizing. Claire even complied with my fastidious plan. I thought the instinct would set in after my list was made and chores began, but dear readers, it never did. My "forced nesting" efforts did induce a labor of sort, not the birthing kind, but the "I'm at the point of exhaustion and can't move another step" kind.

I wonder how many women really experience this "burst of energy" or if most are like me--they just know they have to get things done before the baby arrives or it will never happen. At the end of the week even despite my reluctant nesting, I did feel a sense control and accomplishment and guess what, my new baby's drawers are organized.