Before I experienced it myself, I imagined that tales I'd heard of wild nesting urges must be little more than pregnancy myths – that was until I found myself on my hands and knees scrubbing the tops of every baseboard in our home for the second time in a month.

I certainly wasn't alone with my excessive cleaning tendencies. Around the same time, a friend of mine systematically emptied and reorganized each of the closets and cabinets in her home. Her husband came home to find the entryway blocked by a stack of boxes labeled "yard sale" and his wife (8 months pregnant) perched precariously on a ladder cleaning the top of the ceiling fan blades. Before I attempted to rearrange the living room furniture on my own, I decided to find a more productive use for what was left of my solitary free time. After a quick assessment of which projects would truly matter after we brought our new baby home, I realized that the baseboards and living room furniture could wait.

My ultra-responsible husband had taken charge of baby-proofing our home, so I had no need to spend time on that particular task. I concluded that my time could be much better spent practicing a bit of what I called "nutritional nesting." Rather than waste time on aimless cleaning tasks, I dedicated the last six weeks of pregnancy to stocking our freezer and pantry. Not only did I keep myself busy, I was assured that my energy wouldn't be wasted. We'd have plenty of healthful, delicious foods on hand to nourish our family and help me shed pregnancy pounds. Even more important, I wouldn't have to worry about finding time to grocery shop and cook immediately after the birth. I could focus my attention where it should be – on our new baby and on my family.

After 40 weeks (give or take) of eating for two, it may take some time to reorient yourself to eating for one. While losing pregnancy weight may be high on your list of priorities, it certainly isn't the time for a crash diet immediately postpartum, particularly if you plan to breastfeed. As much as you may long to slip easily into your pre-pregnancy clothes, remember that it took about 40 weeks to put on those pounds. While it won't probably take that long to shed them, the best approach is one of moderation.

Easing back into a regular exercise plan and following a balanced diet is the surest way to regain and maintain your pre-pregnancy shape, permitting yourself to pack away those dreaded maternity clothes. Resorting to an extreme diet, particularly without exercising, may allow you to lose weight quickly, but the pounds are bound to return. If you do plan to breastfeed, it's particularly important to remember that your body will need more, rather than fewer, calories – as many as 500 calories more each day than were required prior to pregnancy (keep in mind that even during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, your body only needed an additional 300 calories each day).

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