How to Survive Pregnancy Bed Rest

As if being pregnant is not a roller-coaster ride for a woman, can you imagine having to spend part of it confined to bed rest? Others may envy you for getting to lounge around all day, but for an active woman enduring this is quite a different story. However, there are many unique activities a woman can take part in from the comfort of her bed, which will definitely help pass the time as she attempts to survive pregnancy bed rest.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Scrapbook supplies
• Laptop
• Knitting needles or crochet hook
• Yarn

1. Create a schedule. Sticking to a plan of action for each day will help you to feel accomplished and give you something to look forward to. It is not necessary to stick to the same exact activities each and every day, and the fun of planning will be looking for unique ways to occupy the time you have to spend on pregnancy bed rest.
2. Use the time to catch up on tasks you have been putting off or have not gotten around to doing. This may include developing a birth plan, making the final choice for baby names, choosing a pediatrician to care for the baby after it is born or even searching and confirming child care that may be needed if planning to go back to work after maternity leave.
3. Start a scrapbook project. This could be a fun way to journal your pregnancy journey, which can eventually be shared with your child. Maybe include a family tree along with interesting family stories and traditions.
4. Make purchases for the nursery. Just because you are confined to bed does not mean you cannot shop from bed. You can catalog shop over the phone or use the Internet to order items needed to fully stock the nursery. So, it might be in your best interest to invest in a laptop.
5. Slot in some time with friends and extended family. This is a perfect way to lift your mood, so do not hesitate to ask friends or family members to come over and visit with you for an hour of two.
6. Catch up on your reading. For the avid reader, this is a great opportunity to get into a few good books, and, for the reading novice, you might be interested in reading books on birthing, what to expect after the baby is born or parenting.
7. Stock up on DVD movies. You can rent them, buy them or whatever, but there is nothing like a good movie to take your mind off the day-to-day, and in your case, off being on bed rest.
8. Learn a second language. There are many language programs you can buy to use on the computer or that can be listened to on CD. This could be great fun, especially when you come off bed rest and can show off what you mastered while you spent all those days in bed--besides the baby!
9. Make some money. There are lots of places online that will pay you money to write, read emails and a number of other tasks. It may not amount to large earnings, but hey, a little something extra in the bank is always nice. Also, you could take the time to start a blog about your pregnancy bed rest journey and add advertisements that will generate some earnings for you.
10. Find pregnancy-related websites, message boards and forums to hang out at. This will give you the opportunity to mingle with other pregnant woman and share and exchange information. It may also be a good opportunity to learn what other bed rest pregnant women are doing to occupy their time. You may even be able to become a moderator on one of these sites and use you personal expertise to help others.
11. Start a craft. Maybe you have always wanted to learn how to crochet or knit. Well, now you have the time. It might be a nice way to make something special for the new baby. So, get out the knitting needles, crochet hooks and yarn and make something beautiful.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask your doctor to go over all the limitation specific to the level of pregnancy bed rest you have been placed on. Can you get up to go to the bathroom? Are you allowed to take a bath or stand in the shower? Can you get up long enough to make a quick meal? Can you do any walking, and how much is safe for you?
• Prolonged bed rest can lead to poor blood circulation in the legs, which can lead to the formation of blood clots. Ask your doctor what types of activities you can safely do to promote proper blood circulation while on pregnancy bed rest.
• Staying in bed for long periods of time can also place pressure on your buttocks and tailbone area. This can lead to skin breakdown or bed sores. Ask your doctor what positions you are allowed lay in and how often you should change positions.