Living at Home with Mom and Dad While Pregnant

Obie Editorial Team

No one wants to be living at home with mom and dad while pregnant, but that is a reality for many pregnant women. I lived at home during my first and second pregnancies for a portion of the time. While the time I spent with mom and dad did not last the entire pregnancy and birth, it was more than enough to teach me a few things about how to manage my life while keeping family life on track.

Understand – You are Not Alone
There are plenty of single pregnant women out there living with mom and dad. I was married during both pregnancies, but financial struggles left us without a place to live for a while and saving for baby was a prime concern, so back to the homestead it was. As for other women out there, the stories are mixed. Some have left the man in their lives to start anew and others never really had a steady partner at all. Some are still in the dating scene and some are going to college and trying to work part time while pregnant. People from all walks of life are in the same situation. 

Close Proximity and Private Space
One of the major concerns when living with mom and dad during pregnancy is private space. I lived upstairs in a two-story home while my parents stayed downstairs. There were three rooms, which I used to store my personal belongings and setup a bedroom for my husband and I (and daughter the second time around). That individual space was important for us, but not everyone has a two-story house to get lost in. If you need space, but have no place to go try wearing headphones for an hour each day while resting. The music will drown out all other sounds and you can sit in a private spot and just enough a little alone time despite being in close quarters with mom and dad. 

Take the Good and Bad But Don't Give Up Control
Mom and dad will likely want to help you out as much as possible, but sometimes that help can feel more like a hindrance if they start overstepping their boundaries. You have to set limits to how much you are willing to take and those limits need to be reasonable. If mom and dad found a great deal on a crib and you don't have the money to buy one – skip the fight, but if they want to control more personal things about your pregnancy you may have to step up and tell them to back down.