Bake Your Baby A Little Longer
If you are threatening to deliver prematurely or have certain medical conditions such as preeclampsia or gestational diabetes, your care provider may order you back to bed. There are certain degrees of bedrest -- for example, you may only need to sit and lay down more than usual, or you may be told to stay laying down except to go to the bathroom. It can be boring and stressful -- how do you cope?
Use those electronics
Modern moms have an advantage over moms from the 50s. You likely have a television in your bedroom, or have access to a laptop, e-reader or smart phone. Catch up on your favorite shows, subscribe to Netflix, join a pregnancy message board and make new internet friends, stay connected with your friends and family via Facebook or blog about your pregnancy -- the possibilities are endless.
Accept visitors
Encourage your friends and family to visit, and visit often. They will bring stories and cheer, and possibly gifts and food from the outside world -- this will help keep you entertained and happy. Some may be nervous about visiting, so do what you can to diminish their fears -- you’re pregnant, not sick.
Enlist help
You will need help with household chores and your older children, if you have them. If help isn’t offered, you may need to ask or even hire someone to help you out. Hopefully your friends or family members will step in to keep your house from imploding while you’re off your feet, but if you’re worried about the state of your home, don’t be tempted to do it yourself.
Move around
Ask your doctor what exercises you can do while on bedrest, if any. She may let you rotate your hands and feet, squeeze stress balls or flex your arm and leg muscles.
With these few tips in mind, you may find your bedrest more relaxing, which is good -- you need all the relaxing you can get!
More on bedrest
Pregnancy bedrest 101: How to stay sane
Bed rest during pregnancy
Making bedrest a family affair
