Somewhere near the end of pregnancy, many people feel a sudden pull to clean, sort and prepare. Nesting is common and can feel wonderful, as long as it does not tip into exhausting yourself just when you most need to bank rest.

Worth doing

• Wash and put away the first few sizes of baby clothes.
• Set up and stock the spaces where you will feed and change.
• Batch-cook and freeze a handful of easy meals.
• Pack your bag, and write the key phone numbers somewhere obvious.

Not worth your energy

Deep-cleaning skirting boards, reorganising the whole house, or chasing a magazine-perfect nursery can wait. The newborn will not notice, and your rest matters more than a spotless cupboard.

Channel the energy into rest and a few real preparations, then stop.