Nesting

So, I am now 38 weeks pregnant and have started to nest...big time. Just today I have felt the need to clean out the cupboard under the sink. I removed every single item and scrubbed the inside of the cabinet (even the inside of the doors). Then, instead of just putting everything back in, I felt oddly compelled to put all the cleaning supplies in plastic storage boxes. One box for supplies we use all the time and one box for supplies we only use occasionally. Although in my nesting-blurred mind I considered using my computerized label maker to label the boxes appropriately, the small amount of reason left in my body vetoed that idea.

Then, since my cleaning supplies were so orderly, I used some of them to clean the outside of the washer and dryer. How can I possibly wash a new baby's clothes if the buttons on the machine have dirt and germs on them. Logical, right?

Oh, and don't forget the nesting ritual I have been focusing on all week: selling my belongings on Craigslist. Somehow, things that I had in my garage and closets just last week that were neatly stored and not bothering me at all I am now compelled to sell immediately. It just will not do to have them in my house when the baby is born. I even sold a wooden rocking chair yesterday for only $15 dollars. My reasoning is that if I sell things for really cheap prices people will buy them quickly and they will definitely not be here to clutter up the house for the new baby.

As though our babies care about the strange things we find ourselves doing when nesting at the end of pregnancy. Does anyone out there have any scientific data documenting why we do this? Can it be stopped?