Moving While Pregnant or With a Newborn: A Practical Plan

When to move during pregnancy: ask your doctor first

This article covers planning, not medical advice. Before you set a date, ask your doctor or midwife two questions: what you should and should not lift, and whether there are weeks when they would rather you not travel. Build the move around those answers.

After that, when to move during pregnancy comes down to practical points:

• Leave a buffer before the due date. Babies do not always keep to the calendar, and you want to be unpacked enough to come home to a working house
• Think about your energy. Pick a stretch when you expect to feel up to making decisions and directing people
• Check the mover's calendar. Summer and the end of the month book up first, so a mid-month, mid-week date gives you more choice
• Have a backup. Decide ahead of time who takes over on moving day if you cannot be there

If the choice is between moving shortly before the birth or a couple of months after, neither is wrong. Before means doing it with less energy. After means doing it with a baby in your arms. Choose the one with more help available.

What to delegate when moving while pregnant

Your job is project manager. Hand off anything that involves weight, ladders, long hours on your feet, or strong fumes, and follow your doctor's guidance on the rest.

If the budget does not stretch to a full-service move, spend it where the weight is. Having a crew load and unload, or pack only the kitchen, removes most of the physical work.

Packing while pregnant: plan it, direct it, sit down for it

Packing while pregnant works best in short sessions spread over several weeks, with you doing the sorting and someone else doing the carrying.

• Start early. Four to six weeks ahead, with the rooms you use least
• Sort sitting down. Have a helper bring drawers and shelf contents to a table. You decide keep, donate, or toss, and they box it
• Own the labels. Write the destination room and a few words about the contents on every box. Good labels let other people unpack without asking you
• Leave full boxes where they are. Pack in place and let the crew move them
• Order supplies once. Our packing estimator tells you how many boxes to order so nobody makes extra trips

Keep these out of the truck

Some things ride with you no matter who moves the rest: your hospital bag, medical records and insurance cards, medications, the car seat, important documents, chargers, snacks, and water. If the move is long-distance, add enough clothes and baby supplies to cover the delivery window.

Moving with a newborn: plan around feeding and sleep

Moving with a newborn changes the question from what you can lift to who is holding the baby. Give that job to one person for the whole day.

• Get the baby out of the house if you can. A grandparent's or friend's home is quieter than a house with open doors and a crew carrying furniture
• If the baby stays, close off one room. Empty it the day before, mark the door, and tell the crew to leave it alone. Feed and nap there
• Pack a moving-day baby bag. Diapers, wipes, feeding supplies, burp cloths, spare clothes for the baby and for you, a blanket, and a portable sleeper or bassinet
• Keep the routine where you can. Feed on the usual schedule even if the truck is waiting. The crew can work around you
• Ask the pediatrician about travel. For a long drive or a flight, follow their guidance, and get the baby's records before you leave

Moving to a new city also means finding a new pediatrician. Ask your current office for a referral and a copy of the records, and check which practices take your insurance before moving day.

Setting up the nursery first

The first night goes better when the baby's room is done before anything else. Setting up the nursery first takes a little planning at the loading end.

1. Tell the crew which items belong to the nursery and ask that they go on the truck last, so they come off first
2. Label nursery boxes on every side and number the two or three you need the first night
3. Tape the crib hardware in a bag to the frame, or keep it in your car
4. At the new home, have the crib or bassinet assembled before the crew leaves, following the manufacturer's instructions
5. Next in order: your own bed, a comfortable chair for feeding, and the kitchen basics

If the baby has not arrived yet, the same order applies. A finished nursery and a made bed matter more than an unpacked living room. Our post on the first night box lists what to keep handy for everyone else.

A moving while pregnant checklist by week

1. Eight weeks out: ask your doctor about lifting and travel, choose a date with a buffer, and request moving quotes
2. Six weeks out: book the mover and decide what you are handing off. Allow 1 to 2 weeks of notice for a local move and 3 to 4 weeks for long-distance, more in summer and at month-end
3. Four to six weeks out: start sorting and packing the rooms you use least
4. Two weeks out: arrange baby care or a backup person for moving day, transfer utilities, and file your change of address
5. One week out: pack the bags that ride with you, confirm the crew's arrival time, and mark the nursery items
6. Moving day: direct from a chair, keep water and snacks close, and leave when you need to
7. First week: nursery, your bedroom, and kitchen first. The rest can wait

The full list of standard tasks is in our moving checklist.

Long-distance moves with a baby on the way

A move to another state adds travel and a wait for your belongings. A long-distance move is delivered within a window of days, so plan where you will sleep and what you need with you until the truck arrives.

Ask your doctor whether driving or flying makes more sense for you and how often to stop. Line up your new doctor or hospital before you go, and have your records sent ahead.

Allpoints Moving Services is family-owned, licensed and insured, and has been moving families since 1999. Long-distance moves are quoted as a flat rate based on distance, inventory, and added services, and quotes are free. Request yours and tell us your due date so we can plan around it.