Camo Wife Chronicles

According to social media, the nesting phase is a time for organisation, deep cleaning, and a whole lot of preparation. It’s a time to crack out the drawer dividers, label everything in sight, and design a cute little nursery even Pinterest would be envious of. So when I entered the third trimester, I was fully prepared to channel my inner Mrs Hinch and transform our house into the tidiest, most organised it has ever been.

Unfortunately, that’s not quite how it’s going so far.

Yes, there have been short-lived bursts of cleaning and the occasional flurry of organisation, but they’re quickly followed by multiple snack breaks and naps. Then comes the onslaught of panic about everything left to do before the baby arrives, ironically paired with absolutely zero motivation to do any of it. Instead, I’ve spent a great deal of time nagging my husband about small jobs that haven’t been thought about in twelve months but are now, apparently, critically urgent. Because we cannot possibly bring a baby home to this chaos.

I envy the people who seem to have it all sorted. Yes, we have the essentials (we think), but the aesthetic nursery isn’t finished, the baby clothes aren’t neatly organised into size order, and there isn’t a single pre-filled nappy caddy in sight.

Does this make me feel inadequate as a mother already? In some ways, yes. I know babies don’t need half the things social media insists we do, yet it still makes you wonder why you aren’t as prepared as everyone else seems to be.

Deep down, I know that no one really knows what they’re doing the first time around. We’re all just preparing in our own way, fully aware that no amount of organisation can actually prepare you for the life shift that’s coming.

I want to enjoy these last few weeks of resting, nesting, and slowly preparing mentally and physically for the new arrival. Instead, I feel this overwhelming pressure to be doing more, to be more prepared, to somehow have it all together. Maybe that’s normal for a first-time mum. Maybe it’s social media influence. Or maybe it’s just the serial overthinker in me creating unnecessary chaos.

Either way, I know the baby won’t care if the nursery drawers aren’t colour‑coded. I just need to keep reminding myself that.

– Your Camo Wife