What Would You Do? Move Now or After Baby?

Updated on August 23, 2010
K.F. asks from Minneapolis, MN
17 answers

My husband and I have spent the summer remodling a new home, about 10 minutes from our current home. Our current house is up for sale, no takers yet. Our goal all along has been to be moved into the new house by Labor Day weekend. Our third child is due October 18, so we needed some time before baby arrived to get the new house in order. However, as we were afraid of, things never stay on schedule with a remodel. We could push really hard and try and move in over Labor Day weekend OR we could wait until right before the baby's due date or after. My husband is gone out of town for two weeks in the middle of Sept., so moving then is unfortunately out of the question. Another factor is I am having a c-section, so will be really useless, as far as moving goes, for awhile after the baby. Having our current house ready for showings has also proved to be VERY difficult lately as well. I can only imagine how much harder that will be to deal with after the baby is born on top of my 3 and 5 year olds!

Ok, now that I am done complaining, any words of wisdom or experiences are welcome. What would you do? Move as soon as you could or wait until later?

I should mention that my decsion making ability seems to lessen as my pregnancy advances, can you tell? :)

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M.M.

answers from Green Bay on

do what ever is easiest for you to deal with before and after baby. we moved to a new house a month before #2. I've never really felt like this has my imprint on it as family helped us move in and set up. you are gonna be tired and busy either way. if you move to the new place you wouldn't have to keep cleaning the old place for showings. good luck.

M.P.

answers from Provo on

I've moved twice with my son now, and will be doing it again soon. MOVE BEFORE THE BABY!!!!!! Being pregnant and moving would be soooooooooooo much easier then with a newborn unless you have someone to hold him/her while you do the moving or have someone replace you in the moving process.

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A.F.

answers from Columbus on

I would move ASAP. You don't want to have to worry about all of the stress when your baby comes. You will be so busy with the kids and trying to recover. Plus I always love moving while I'm pregnant b/c it's an excuse not to have to carry anything heavy. You get to just stand there and boss men around! :)
Congrats on #3!!

1 mom found this helpful

R.G.

answers from Dallas on

Definitely before baby! After the baby gets here you will be exhausted and frazzled for a while....throw a big move into that mix and UGH....makes me want to curl up into a ball just thinking about it. lol

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H.J.

answers from Minneapolis on

We just moved while I was 4 months pregnant with our third. The move went fairly well and I still think it would have gone well 7-9 months pregnant. I cannot imagine right now with a 3.5 month old and and 5 yr old and three year old which are my kids ages and moving. I can hardly get dinner on the table every night right now! Just my thoughts. I could see moving when our third is a year old but having three under 6 and a needy newborn is not an easy task at the moment!

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H.D.

answers from Boston on

I had the same decision to make before my second son was born and even though I was very big, tired and uncomfortable, we moved about three weeks before he was born. I have to say I was SO glad we did it because handling a new baby and the dynamics with my 4 year old on top of it was enough to deal with. If I had to deal with the move after the birth, I would have lost it!!!! I highly recommend getting that task out of the way because you will have to help your children deal with a new environment AND a new baby!

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S.H.

answers from Hartford on

I moved in the 7th month of my pregnancy - it was doable, but only with a lot of help from my folks and my husband's friends. I also had a C-Section and a random bout of week long nausea following the delivery, which would have made moving an impossibility - even with lots of help. I would recommend trying to finish up the remodeling projects and moving prior to the delivery...the sooner the better. Congratulations on the new house - I'm sure everything will work out just fine.

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J.M.

answers from Boston on

Before baby! Push hard and get it done now. Can you imagine just settling down to feed the baby and getting a call from your realtor that someone wants to see the house in an hour? Oh the stress! Good luck with all of your fun new stuff!

L.S.

answers from Philadelphia on

You should hire movers...lol

Seriously, if you move labor day weekend, your husband will be there, and even though you will be very pregnant, you are still of some use, and the sooner you get your stuff out of the old house the sooner it will be sold, most people like to envision their furniture and what they can do with the space, so having your stuff in the house might be prolonging the selling process. IMO

Good luck whatever you decide to do!

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J.S.

answers from Green Bay on

We ended up moving 5 days before my son arrived. I didn't have a c-section, but obviously still was taking it easy after we got home from the hospital. I'd do the move before delivery again if given the choice. That way I was able to work on unpacking boxes when baby was sleeping and I was up to it. I could work at my own pace, but not have to deal with the actual move. For the move, we did have movers hired to move the furniture, but my in-laws helped move all the boxes. I was able to be the director of where things needed to go and carried a few really light boxes. (Probably more work than my doctor would have liked, but I actually felt better being on my feet than sitting behind the work desk all day.)

L.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Move now! I agree w/ the other moms. Congrats and enjoy!

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J.E.

answers from Minneapolis on

As both a Real Estate Agent & someone who moved just after a C-Section, I would suggest moving sooner than later. It is hard enough work to have the remodel, 2 young children & a pregnancy, not to mention having a home "show ready" at the drop of a hat. Moving sooner will allow you to have a bit less on your plate daily, while reducing the liklihood of injury or delayed healing from the surgery. The market, as unpredictable as it is currently, won't penalize you for being out of the house - It could actually benefit you. The house will look move in ready & Buyers will focus on their move, not yours. As for your family, life will be calmer & you can begin some new routines before the new baby & surgical recovery.

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M.J.

answers from Houston on

Move now. We moved when I was 8 months - I had a surge of energy in my 3rd trimester and it was much much easier than it would have been after baby.

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S.G.

answers from Rapid City on

Move before or you will not be able to lift for 6 weeks. It would be much easier if you can move at least most of your stuff into the new house to clear out the clutter from the old house and make it easier to clean and have it ready for show. That way if the new house remodeling isn't done, you wouldn't have as much to move after.

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K.S.

answers from San Francisco on

I would try and move asap. I have done the having to keep the house clean for showings with 1 child while pregnant, and it sucks! I hated it! And since you are having a c/s you would prob feel better just being settled in your new home. Either way it is going to be hard work. Just don't do anything to put yourself in a position of preterm labor.
Good luck!

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K.G.

answers from Minneapolis on

Move now. We just moved with a 3 1/2 year old and an almost 2 year old, and I'm 8 months pregnant. It would be a lot harder with another little one.

On the other hand, if you don't want to fully move now, start going through everything and move as much as you comfortably can right now so that there will be much less to move later. For example, you could move all your Christmas decorations, Easter decorations, books (we have so many!), appliances that you don't use often, etc. Get all that out of your current house so there will be less to deal with, less to look at, and less to stress about later.

Good luck with everything!

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J.C.

answers from Casper on

Coming from a mom of 7 and having sold a house while being pregnant and moving.....move as soon as you can. Then you would only have to worry about the old house once. Move out, clean it up and it would be ready for a showing at any time. Then you can concentrate on what you need to do to make sure you are ready for the baby and also relaxing after the c-section. Besides if the baby needs to come early, then you are still ready for him/her. Moving now would also help with some of the stress that you feel with your other kids. They may not understand exactly what is going on, but they pick up on your vibes and know that you are stressed. Good luck with the move and hope it turns out well.

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