Moving While Pregnant: 6 Tips on How to Make it Less Stressful

In March 2019, when Jehlisah Rae and her husband decided to build a new home, they thought they’d have plenty of time to pack and prepare, since construction wouldn’t be finished until the fall. What Jehlisah didn’t expect was that she’d be moving while pregnant — in her second trimester with their second child.

Can you move while pregnant? That depends on your specific situation. Jehlisah was no stranger to the work involved in packing up a home, since she had moved four times as an adult. “Traditionally, we just rented a truck on the day of, or for two days, and did all the work ourselves,” she says.

But the thought of renting a truck to move themselves again and relocating while pregnant —  with a toddler on top of that — did make Jehlisah very nervous. She began looking for help, and she ended up finding the answer right in her own neighborhood.

Here, Jehlisah shares her top six tips, designed especially for busy moms who may also be expecting — whether they’re moving locally or moving states while pregnant — but useful for anyone with a move coming up.

1. Look for Alternatives Beyond Moving Trucks.

The distance from their townhouse to the new home was just over three miles, but Jehlisah knew she needed to figure out a foolproof logistical plan — not only because she was working full-time and moving during pregnancy but also because she had a 3-year-old daughter to consider.

“I had a month until our move,” she says. “I had to figure it out.”

It wasn’t until she was driving through her neighborhood one day and spotted a PODS container that she wondered if that might make sense for her family, compared to a moving truck.

“We would see PODS containers sitting in front of houses, but we just didn't really know what they were for or how it worked,” she admits.

Jehlisah wondered if the portable containers were just meant for temporary storage while families were remodeling or downsizing, so she reached out to learn more. She found out that while PODS is known for its portable containers, the company also offers moving and storage services for local moves — along with long-distance and cross-country moves.

But according to Jehlisah, she never expected the experience she’d have with PODS to be as seamless and stress-free as it was. From the time she made that initial call to the moment the empty container was picked up from her new home, she says, this move was unlike any other.

As Jehlisah discovered, PODS provides plenty of benefits, compared to full-service movers or renting a truck on your own. Here are a few:

• Timing: With PODS, you can pack at your own pace, like Jehlisah and her family did. You’re on your own schedule, not a moving company’s timetable. So if an unforeseen challenge arises — one of your kids gets a cold, for instance — and you need to reschedule your moving day, you won’t have to worry about potentially being charged expensive fees and other hassles. The PODS container is right there in your driveway, and it’s not going anywhere until you say so.
• Cost-effectiveness: Every PODS container comes with one month of built-in storage. That means you don’t have to worry about paying extra for a storage space — not to mention additional loading and unloading of your belongings — if you can’t get into your new home right away.
• Flexibility: You may want to make your move a hybrid operation and hire helpers to pack up your house, particularly if you’re moving during pregnancy. With PODS, that’s no problem. The container will be accessible for movers, family members, friends, or anyone else you want to enlist to help with your move!

2. Give Yourself Plenty of Time.

To give themselves more breathing room, Jehlisah and her family had PODS deliver their container a month in advance of the move. “I came home from work and it was there,” she says, adding how much she loved not having to schedule time off work to accept the container delivery. During the next four weeks, she and her husband used their evenings to pack.

“Everything was just so easy,” recalls Jehlisah, explaining how they didn’t need to rush or feel stressed about having enough time to pack it all.

3. Pack and Organize With Unpacking in Mind.

Another benefit of having the container on hand was that it kept the family organized throughout the packing and unloading process. Having that extra time to pack properly was important to Jehlisah, particularly because moving while pregnant added extra challenges.

“I knew that I wanted to be much more organized in our new home,” she shares. “That meant organizing things at the old house as I was packing, so I’d be prepared.”

For example, instead of just packing things up by room in their old home, she organized and labeled containers based on where she wanted them to go in their new place. “When I got to our new home, I literally just had to pull it out and put it in its place.”

Pre-gaming is also key. If you’re going the DIY route rather than having professional movers pack up your home, make sure you get all the supplies you need in advance. The last thing you want to do if you’re moving during pregnancy is run to Home Depot a dozen times for boxes and tape. So stock up early.

Here are a few additional packing and organizing tips for moms:

• Declutter first. Before you start packing, take a seriously critical tour of your home and decide what you want to lug with you to the new place and what you can live without. Moving — especially moving while pregnant — is the perfect time to get rid of things that don’t spark joy anymore. Purge, purge, purge.
• Make sure you have a suitcase or tote bag near you at all times. At a minimum, it should be outfitted with any medications you might need, your kids’ necessities (diapers, lovies, games, a favorite blanket), and a first-aid kit — just in case.
• Focus on your kids’ new spaces (see No. 5 below). That way, they’ll start to feel comfortable quickly — and give you the time you need to get the rest of the house set up.

4. Pick out new furnishings before the move

Jehlisah decided to get her furniture shopping out of the way early, so she wouldn’t feel pressured late in pregnancy or while caring for her newborn. This also gave her a chance to find the best deals.

The new home wasn’t ready by the time the furniture was scheduled for delivery, but Jehlisah had prepared for this possibility by choosing the largest PODS container. The 16-foot moving and storage unit was big enough to fit their current townhome’s possessions plus their new furniture.

Once the new furniture was delivered, it went straight into the container. And when the family moved into their new place, they were able to unpack everything and get it all set up before Jehlisah delivered her baby boy.

5. Take Time Off To Get Settled. 

As the mother of a toddler with another on the way, Jehlisah knew she didn’t have the luxury of taking her time. She needed to work quickly to set up their new space before their son arrived, so she took two work days off, plus the weekend, to unpack everything and set up each room.

“My focus had to be on my pregnancy and preparing for a baby,” she adds. “I knew I couldn't have months of living in chaos.”

She also scheduled their container delivery with this in mind, so that when it was time to move in, it was parked right outside in the driveway of their new home. “It was so convenient,” she says.

The first space Jehlisah set up was her daughter’s playroom, complete with all the toys they’d lovingly stored until the day of the move. With all the changes afoot, making sure her toddler felt at home was a priority. “I wanted to surprise her when she got home from daycare,” she says.

And their PODS container attracted lots of curiosity from their neighbors. Jehlisah says she was happy to explain the process, from the sizes available to pricing, since she’d already researched everything before deciding on PODS.  

“We explained it to a couple of our neighbors who were extremely surprised by how reasonable the cost was, in comparison to renting a truck,” she says.

6. Ease Moving Stress With Creative Solutions.

With the PODS container just steps away until moving day, the entire experience was less stressful, Jehlisah says. Their busy, growing family had the time to move gradually, without feeling rushed — an enormous bonus in the potential chaos of moving while pregnant.

“Having this portable storage container literally sitting outside of your house that you can move things in at your own pace is just an amazing thing, especially for parents,” she says.

Here are a few additional ideas to make the move easier for families:

• Give younger kids plenty to do on moving day. Keep the little ones busy with books, games, or crafts — like a drawing or story about their new bedroom. This will help them ease into the new environment — and keep them busy while you deal with unpacking boxes.
• Put older kids to “work.” Take the craft idea up a notch and have them plot where their furniture and pictures will go in their new room. Or anoint them librarians and let them put books on the bookshelves. Giving them a job to do that will help them feel involved in the process and more invested in the new space.
• Make time for family. No matter how busy moving days get, be sure to slow down, at some point, for a family dinner — even if it’s takeout burgers on the dining room floor. You may be desperate to get the kitchen organized in time for your work week to start, but your kids are likely feeling unsettled. Enjoy a nice dinner together and take a walk around the new neighborhood. 

We’re happy to report that after getting all settled in, Jehlisah and her family welcomed their newest addition, baby Alessio. Congratulations, and thanks for sharing your story with us, Jehlisah! You can follow their continuing journey on Instagram at @jehlisahrae and on her blog about motherhood, mindset, and lifestyle.

Megy Karydes is a Chicago-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in Rodale's Organic Life, Forbes, and USA Today.