Anyone else obessing about having things "just right" before labor?

[Mindy70]

Help, I keep obsessing about keeping every room on the house clean and having EVERYTHING done in case I have to go to the hospital- it's like "oh, no, the bathroom is messy, what if I have to come home to a messy bathroom!" or "the sheets need changing" or "the upstairs needs vacuuming!" or "I need to do the kids laundry!"

I do one room, and the other ones get messed up. Like the baby will care if my floor has crumbs, right? But it bugs me- I feel like I "have" to come home to a spotless house or I will start bugging out about disorder and clutter as soon as I walk in the door with baby.

Tell me I am obessive - is anyone else like this?

[Heffernhyphen]

I remember freaking out that the nursery wasn't going to be ready. Oh my God, the nursery is never going to be ready.

Guess what? He's almost four and never slept in the damn nursery. He's still in our bed . . . but he's got a dandy playroom!

Relax. If you NEED things done, cash in some sympathy chips. Everybody loves to help a pregnant lady. Let them!

[Eaglevoice]

I'm doing the exact same thing. My house has never been so spotless. I wish I was this good of a housekeeper all the time! But then I'd never have any free time at all. I seriously go from room to room picking up after dh and dd all day long. I clean the kitchen almost every single day. I've vacuumed more in the last two weeks than I have in the entire last 12 months!

[Mindy70]

I am going to treat myself to a one time cleaning service, I think, before or right after baby comes, so they can really scrub down the kitchen, the booster seat, the bathroom and our bedroom.

[momto l&a]

I always go into labor when for one day I let the house go.

Our house is by no means perfect.

But I am just try to keep things up to dh wont end up with a house that way behind in work.

the only thing I am obsessing about it not going into labor before Sunday night That way dh will get all his overtime. Extra $$$ is always nice.

My cervix though ... I just dont know if I will make it till Sunday.

[firemommaof1]

This is totally me!! My dh just read this over my shoulder and asked if I wrote it I am totally obsessed with everything being clean and in its place right now. I went into crazy cleaning mode yesterday mopping all floors, cleaning both bathrooms, doing all laundry (including bathroom floor mats). I just want everything to be done so when its time to go I don't have to worry about coming home to a dirty house. I know when its time I will probably insist on running the vacuum over the floor before going to the hospital. Yep dh thinks I'm crazy but I don't care....

[DoulaLes]

I am right there with you guys--except to make it worse...I am birthing at home, so its not about the baby caring about if its clean or not--its about me thinking about all the people who are going to be in and out of house once labor starts!
I keep thinking---gotta have the floors vacuumed, dish washer emptied so they can find silverware, refridge organized so they can find drinks and snacks, bed ready to be made with “birth” sheets, pool ready to be filled, yada, yada, yada.... It is kind of making me crazy! I know that all of them probably wont care if the floor is freshly vacuumed or not---but I will be thinking about it!!
So yes I am with you all on becoming obsessive about the cleaning!!! I too have vacuumed more in the past two weeks then in the last year!!

[tofutti]

for some reason i am like that but about my car.

like, it needs to be spotless for the baby's first trip home.........no dog hair, no smudged windows, and especially NO BIRD CRAP!

oh, for a moment, picture the sight of an almost 40 week pregnant woman at the do-it-yourself-car-wash........butt in the air, vacuming the floor of her camry......

oh, the hilarity!!!

and if a bird even THINKS of crapping on it now, it's DEAD!!!

[jakesmama]

If you think you guys are obsessive.....
The whole 'messy house' thing is THE reason I'm not birthing at home!:
I just feel like I won't be comfortable knowing there are things to be done (like I'll care in labor, but hey) and the birth center is pretty and CLEAN! My dp would probably think that I wrote the OP as well. He's a go with the flow kind of guy and I've been so picky lately...poor guy.

[crittersmom]

Thats part of my grouchiness right now.I keep cleaning a room and my wonderful family messes it right back up.We have white tile floors and red dirt outside so that gets tracked in by the kids.We are also going to be moving on the 30th so now I am thinking about all the packing too.I really should be used to this by now.

[Pepperdove]

I have been buying waaaay too much food and then not letting anyone eat it so that there will be lots of food when the baby comes. Like nobody will be able to go to the store for me, ever again.

I also have been worrying about having all the laundry done.

That's nothing, though... DH tore out the upstairs bathroom WITHOUT ASKING and installed a new vanity and stuff... but he also tore out the mirror and doesn't know how to install the new cabinet. Sigh. At least he left the tub alone, and the new vanity does look pretty great.

[funkygranolamama]

Originally Posted by tofutti

for some reason i am like that but about my car.

like, it needs to be spotless for the baby's first trip home.........no dog hair, no smudged windows, and especially NO BIRD CRAP!

oh, for a moment, picture the sight of an almost 40 week pregnant woman at the do-it-yourself-car-wash........butt in the air, vacuming the floor of her camry......

oh, the hilarity!!!

and if a bird even THINKS of crapping on it now, it's DEAD!!!

[VOBetz]

I am doing exactly the same thing. I just want to be able to come home to a clean house though. Its not about the baby, its about having a couple days to spare before I have to clean again.

Unfortunately, I keep cleaning and letting the house get messy again - so I'm doing major cleaning/nesting weekly! And today I'm doing it again.

[Liquesce]

Can I get any of you obsessive cleaners to move in with me for a while? I'm right there with you psychologically, but man I can't seem to get more than a quarter of a room taken care of at a time. (Although yesterday I did manage to thoroughly upholstery clean the sofa, with a "so it'll definitely be clean enough to put the baby down on ... you know, so he can probably pee on it" thought in mind). I keep being glad I'm not having any particular signs of being ready to give birth, in part on a philosophy that I simply can not bring the baby home until the kitchen floor is scrubbed, etc, only to proceed to tell myself I can always do it tomorrow.

[sugamagmama]

My husband tells me to stop and relax, but I cant stop, the urge to have a clean and orderly house is uncontrollable. I cleaned the corners on the floor near the stove, I cleaned the inside of my washing machine. I told DH I didnt want to waste good mop water and thats why I decided to mop the whole house instead of just the kitchen like I had intended. Good to know I am not alone out there!

[momto l&a]

Originally Posted by crittersmom

We are also going to be moving on the 30th so now I am thinking about all the packing too.I really should be used to this by now.

Your moving!?!?!?! :

I cant possibly imagine moving either very pregnant or having recently given birth.

[stacey0402]

Yes! Hubby has been complaining about my nagging, but I swear I'm going to lose my cool if I have to scrub the stove one more time! I cleaned out the garage the other day and made a pile of donation stuff in the center. I asked him to put it in the back of his truck and take it down....four days ago. I swear when I get home I'll do it myself. The man is useless right now and we've got cleaning to do!

I don't know if I'm feeling more stressed about cleaning everything before baby, or before my mom comes. I like everything insanely clean before she visits (yes, even the garage).

[stacey0402]

Originally Posted by momto l&a

Your moving!?!?!?! :

I cant possibly imagine moving either very pregnant or having recently given birth.

I am always either hugely pregnant or taking care of a newborn when we move Dh jokes that I like to get out of helping that way. At least we aren't moving for another year this time around.

[Pepperdove]

OMG my car!!!! You just reminded me that I have to clean my CAR!!! Unless we take DH's car... AAAAAUUGGGHHH!!! HIS car is the WORST!!! Oh no what am I going to do?!?

Thanks a lot!

[stacey0402]

Originally Posted by Pepperdove

OMG my car!!!! You just reminded me that I have to clean my CAR!!! Unless we take DH's car... AAAAAUUGGGHHH!!! HIS car is the WORST!!! Oh no what am I going to do?!?

Thanks a lot!

I've been planning to have dh take the van through a drive-thru wash and vacuum the interior right before he picks me and baby up from the hospital I have seriously been thinking way too much about that issue. Maybe we'll do it tonight on our Costco run.