It’s one of the mostly stressful things you can do, especially if you’re pregnant or have a tot in tow, so here’s how to take some of the strain out of moving house.

Pregnant:

If you’re moving out of your current GP’s catchment area, get a list of GPs from NHS Choices www.NHS.uk/servicedirectories so you can register with a GP near your new home when you move in and arrange your antenatal care.

• You can also sign up for antenatal classes at the hospital where you choose to have your baby, which is a good way to meet other mums-to-be.
• Check out the Bounty forums to talk to other mums-to-be who live in the area you’re moving to so you can make new friends straightaway.
• Get help with the packing and moving as you shouldn’t lift or carry anything heavy.
• Label clearly every box that’s packed so that when they’re piled up in your new home you’re not stressed out looking for the kettle or the duvet.
• If you are in the last weeks of pregnancy on moving day, keep your hospital bag to hand with any new baby essentials rather than packing them in the removal van.

With a baby:

• Find out about local mother and baby groups or 1 ‘o’ clock clubs in the area you’re moving to so you can get to know other mums and babies. Ask Bounty mums on the forums who live in your new area where they meet so you can get out and about with your baby. Settling in to a new home with a baby is loads easier when you have friends to get together with.
• Pack the baby’s things separately and transport them with you if possible rather than in the removal van, or clearly label the boxes so you can settle your little ’un as soon as you arrive and keep them happy with their familiar routine.
• If there’s any chance of some help with the baby so you can concentrate on packing/unpacking, grab it! Bounty mum blackcat1976 was glad she did: ‘My parents drove nearly 50 miles to meet us at the new house and then took over looking after lo. I had the cot in the back of my car, so as soon as my mum had her, my dad helped me put the cot back together straightaway. She slept on my mum through the day, and none of the noise woke her up.’
• Your baby will be aware they’re in a new place and may not settle as easily at night, so surround them with familiar things as much as you can and reassure them that you are close by.

With a toddler:

• Some toddlers are more sensitive to change than others and more attached to their routine, so talk to them about the move and your new home to get them used to the idea: even if they don’t really get it, it will be reassuring for them to hear you talking about their new room and so on.
• Pack your toddler’s toys, snacks and comforters, (and home safety essentials such as socket covers and stair gates) together so that you can get to them straightaway when you arrive at your new home. Let them pack some toys in a bag to take with them so they have their favourite things to hand.
• Find out about local toddler groups before you move (talk to other mums on the Bounty forums who live in your new area) so you can get out to meet other mums and tots and make friends.
• If you’ll need childcare, look into what’s available as soon as you know you’re moving so you can visit local nurseries or meet childminders and get on waiting lists if necessary.

With a preschooler:

Your 3 to 5 year old may be excited, upset or a combination of both at the prospect of moving. They won’t want to leave their friends so reassure them that friends can come and visit and vice versa and that they’ll make lots of new friends. Show them their new home or pictures of it and talk it up: tell them how brilliant their new room is or how much bigger the garden. Get books on moving home out of the library to read to them or for them to read to give them an idea of what moving is all about.

You could try:

• The Berenstain Bears’ Moving Day by Stan and Jan Berenstain
• Moving House by Anne Civardi and Stephen Cartwright
• Big Ernie’s New Home by Teresa and Whitney Martin

They could do a doll’s house ‘move’ or pack up a couple of boxes with their things so that they feel more involved, which will help make the move seem less daunting for them.

• As with a baby and toddler, pack your child’s things so that they’re easy to get to when you arrive, and set their room up first so that they can start to feel at home.
• They may find it hard to settle or wake up during the night at first, so reassure them that everything’s OK.

If you haven’t done so already (it may be the reason that you’ve moved) look into local schools. And get to meet other parents and pre-schoolers at playgroups or take a trip to the local park with your child as soon as you can after you’ve moved and chat to some of the other parents there.