Moving itself is already stressful enough. A survey done for over 1,000 respondents even showed that 45% considered moving the most stressful and overwhelming event in their lives. Besides the whole packing process, you also need to deal with other things like decluttering, organizing your stuff in the new house, updating your utilities or billing, and more.
But what if you’re moving with an infant? Imagine packing and moving heavy boxes while you have a crying baby seeking your attention. The whole scenario can simply be overwhelming and seem almost impossible.
Before you get discouraged to move out with your spouse and baby, this article will serve as your helpful guide in moving house with an infant without losing your mind. After all, if the other parents can do it, then you can too! To get you started, here are some strategies to help you move with a baby or infant.
- Discuss the move with your partner
Your baby will never know about all the preparations you’re making and how you and your partner will both be busy with the moving chores. All they’ll care about is to have their needs met, such as milk, toys, snuggles, or even your soothing voice if they wish to go to sleep. So, one way to make moving and taking care of your baby doable and manageable simultaneously is to split the tasks.
Discuss the move with your partner about how you’ll take turns doing some of the tasks or do some responsibilities together if the baby is asleep. For example, while one of you is breastfeeding or putting the baby to sleep, the other can continue decluttering the rooms or contacting the utilities. Once the baby is asleep, you may both work on the tasks at hand.
Meanwhile, if you’re both too busy with the baby and other responsibilities, it’s best to hire professionals to help you with your move. For instance, if you think you have very little time to pack, you may hire professional movers like Move Central which can help you pack your things into the boxes. You can then discuss the budget you’re willing to spend to hire professionals to do some of the major aspects of your move so that the entire moving preparation and the moving day will be smooth and manageable.
- Have a plan on how to maintain your baby’s routine during the move
When looking after your baby, consistency is essential. The moving day will be just as stressful for babies as for adults. Babies can feel and experience moving stress, especially if their routines are disrupted. Once their routines are disrupted, they’ll express their anxiety in different ways, like:
- Regressive behavior (thumb sucking, wetting the bed)
- More clinginess
- Change in appetite
The moving day can also disrupt their sleep, especially if you’re moving interstate, and the travel time would last for several hours or even days. So, before you hit the road, it’d help to create a plan on how you and your partner can maintain your baby’s routine during the move. For example, you can pack all your baby’s basic essentials in one pack, so if they need anything, you can grab and access everything from one source.
You may prepare some baby foods beforehand or store your breast milk so that any family member can feed your baby if you’re busy tackling moving chores. Don’t forget to bring a small crib with pillows and blankets so that your baby can nap during their intended napping time. You may also keep your baby as busy as possible by giving them toys.
Try your best to maintain your baby’s routine, as this will lessen their stress and help you and your partner keep your sanity.
- Settle your baby’s medical needs
Besides packing your stuff and preparing your baby’s basic needs, it’s also crucial to see to your baby’s health for the upcoming journey. This is important, especially if you’re moving to a new place with different weather. Changing weather can trigger your baby’s allergies or cause infections. So, take your baby to their pediatrician for a general checkup and see if they’re healthy and capable of adjusting to a new environment.
Consider your baby’s vaccines. This way, you’ll have more time to search for a new pediatrician before you need another appointment for their shots or vaccines. Better yet, you can look for a new pediatrician in advance at your new address as part of your moving preparations.
- Pack your baby’s non-essential items first
When packing up for a move, you can consider your baby’s non-essential items or nursery room among your top packing priorities together with the less-used rooms. These are things that your baby may not always need, such as extra toys, clothes, blankets, and extra shoes. This way, you can ensure that you don’t leave any baby stuff during the moving day.
Remember that your baby’s nursery room should be the first room to settle in after you’ve moved in. Make their new nursery room as comfortable as possible to help them adjust to the new surroundings and maintain their daily routine.
- Don’t hesitate to get extra help
If things start to feel overwhelming, you can always enlist more help from your friends or loved ones. You can hire a babysitter or any family member to watch over your baby during the move. Or if you can’t hire anyone to look after your baby, take advantage of your professional movers and let them handle the moving chores while you focus on your child.
Wrapping Up
Moving with an infant may seem challenging, but it’s not impossible. As long as you’re well-prepared and follow these strategies, you can all move and settle into your new home safely and happily.
