Some people love the thought of being confined to bed for weeks or months at a time and told to do nothing. The reality is that prolonged periods of prescribed bed rest can be frustrating and boring.
There are different levels of confinement ranging from just putting your feet up, right through to staying in bed (in your home or hospital), having to lie on your side and only moving when absolutely required.
Anticipated bed rest can be slightly easier to manage, and usually occurs when there is a previous history of difficulties and complications.
For many, it’s a case of unexpected prescribed bed rest after what was anticipated to be a routine check up. Unfortunately this can throw 101 things into disarray, particularly if it’s not your first child and you are still working.
Some of the reasons for bed rest might include:
High blood pressure
Bleeding
Premature labour
Placenta complications (such as placenta previa)
Cervical changes
A pending multiple birth
A history of birth complications
Benefits of bed rest are that it can elevate stress, help increase blood flow to the placenta, and minimise activity that can provoke bleeding. Just like a good night’s sleep allows you to recuperate, solid doses of bed rest allows your body to reach better equilibrium.
When we asked our Earlybird community for ideas on what to do to relieve boredom for Annie, who was confined to bed, there were some great ideas and advice.
- Organise photo albums or get a head start on a baby book.
- You can still have a routine when confined to bed. This might include reading the newspapers in the morning, catching certain TV shows, doing admin at certain times etc.
- Try to get organised. There are lots of forms that will need to be filled in at some stage such as applications for new medicare forms, registering a birth and applying for Centrelink payments. It might be preferable to do these before the baby arrives anyway.
- Update your contacts or address book and put together your announcement lists. While you’re at it, get in touch with all those people you’ve been meaning to ring.
- Order any of your last minute baby items online and stock up the cupboards with groceries from a retailer that delivers.
- Make things easier by having a few handy items close at hand in the one spot. This might include your phone and phone charger, laptop, remote controls for the TV or heating and cooling, a nail file, a hairbrush and stash of magazines.
- If you have children you will probably feel guilty that you can’t run around or play as much as what you’d like. There are still things that can be done from bed together like reading books or watching a favourite DVD.
If you have any additional tips, please share them.
Earlybirds Pty Ltd © 2011
thanks for honouring us Lynda! yes it’s frustrating to be on bed rest but i guess i’m able to have more compassion for others in similar or worse positions having gone through this.
I’m tryinig to be more creative with my time. I’m definitely spending a bit of time on the computer and talking with other mums of premmies – somethiing i didn’t do with my first pregnancy and is helping support me.
Big hellos to all mums on bed rest or at SCN or now home with their precious little one!
I was on bed rest from 24 weeks PPROM until 36+2 when I had my son. I must say I did a majority of the things in that list, but depending on how long your bed rest is you can’t always do the same things.
I found making little baby things such as felt bears or cross stitching helped me with my prenatal depression and boredom!
Also a good book and lots of dvds