This is a guest post by Debbie of Mother and Baby Love. To learn more about Debbie, read her bio at the end of this post.
When I found out I was pregnant with my second child, the last thing on my mind was ending up on bed rest. Leave alone being on bed rest for a whooping 4 months. These are my tips for surviving bed rest in pregnancy.
My plan was to stay active for the entire pregnancy, you know to make it easy to gain minimal weight, lose it fast after the pregnancy and what nots.
Nothing would have prepared me for the reality I was going to face. Gaining weight was about to be the least of my concerns.
I was placed on modified bed rest at 20 weeks. There are many reasons why one can be placed on bed rest, mine was because they realized my cervical length was shorter than expected at this point.
What does modified bed rest mean?
Being on modified bed rest meant that I was allowed to do restricted activities around the house. I was also allowed to go to work with lighter duties. Some people call it partial bed rest.
To try and reduce the risk of going into premature labor, I was also asked to be on cervical rest in addition to using medication.
The modified bed rest was not going well at all. I was working in retail then and my position required me to be moving up and about and lifting relatively heavy stuff. I would be standing on my feet for up to 9 hours a day!
In retrospect, that job was extremely strenuous for someone on “bed rest”. My lighter duties were not even light at all. If I had to do it over, I would not be on my feet for that long.
Then came the strict bed rest…
By around 23 weeks, I had been going for weekly ultrasound scans for the doctor to monitor my situation. On one of the visits, it turned into an emergency.
The medications were not helping and I had to get an emergency procedure to have a cervical cerclage placed to keep the baby in.
My cervix had begun dilating at 23 weeks. The baby is not even considered viable until 24 weeks. To say it was terrifying is an understatement.
Thankfully the procedure was a success, although I had to be in the hospital for a couple of days.
By the time I was released from hospital, I was under instructions to go on strict bed rest for the rest of pregnancy. This lasted until I was around 38 weeks pregnant.
How to survive bed rest
The thought of doing nothing for weeks sounds exciting at first, but the reality of it is different.
There were a ton of challenges that came up as a result of being on bed rest in pregnancy. We had to figure out how to adjust to our new reality and go through it successfully.
Here are some of the biggest challenges you might face when on bed rest during pregnancy and my tips for surviving them.
Reduced income
When you are preparing for an addition to your family, the last thing you want to be dealing with is a loss of income. Unfortunately, it is the reality of bed rest.
While on bed rest, I found out that I could file for disability insurance and get a percentage of my income.
If you find yourself on bed rest make sure to check with your state regulations and see if you can get paid while on bed rest.
It may not be much but it can reduce the financial strain on your family. Especially if you have been paying into your disability insurance, it’s only fair that it takes care of you in your time of need.
You may also like: Easy Ways to Make Money from Home
Strain on your partner
Being on bed rest causes a lot of strain on your partner. I could not cook, do laundry or any of the chores that are normally essential.
My husband had to shoulder the responsibility of taking care of me and our home while at the same time working a demanding full-time job. This is not easy.
He was forced to make a lot of adjustments to how he was working. And most of the time he had to work from home.
On the bright side, he got lots of working from home practice before COVID-19 forced everyone else to do it!
Some tips to help out your partner when on bed rest:
- Ask for help:
Remember your friend Mary who told you to let them know if you need anything? Yeah, give them a call. Let them know you need help doing grocery runs or cooking, or taking your toddler out to play.
Whatever you need, don’t feel shy to ask. We have friends and family for this reason, to be there for us when we are in need.
My friends would drop off precooked meals that would last us a couple of days a week and I can’t tell you how precious that was. It helped a lot to know that hubby did not have to cook 7 days a week in addition to all that he had on his hands.
- Give Your Partner Some Grace
I know you are the one on bed rest not him but this is hard on them too. Our partners are literally on “house arrest” in order to take care of us on bed rest. So sometimes, despite what your pregnancy hormones are telling you, just let the small stuff slide.
Boredom
Boredom is a big deal when you are on bed rest. You spend countless hours in almost the same position and you really have very limited choices in terms of what you can do.
Find activities that you can engage in while you are in bed (or on the couch) that don’t need you to exert yourself.
You will be surprised that there are plenty of things you can do without moving away from your bed. If you need ideas, I have plenty of suggestions here.
Having some kind of structure to your day may also be nice. It helps to have something you are looking forward to everyday. Even if it is just setting time for a meal, a shower and a movie.
Personally, I found it helpful to set small goals for myself each day. Nothing serious, just things like, I will read a chapter of a book or watch an episode of a series I was following.
Fun fact: I got the idea of starting the Mother and Baby Love blog while I was on bed rest. See, bed rest boredom is not all bad.
Mental Health
The other thing that tends to take a hit when you are on bed rest is your mental health.
Other than the fact that you can hardly do whatever you want, there is the additional anxiety due to the fact that your baby’s life could be in danger.
There are days I would wake up and just feel so sad at the thought of potentially losing my baby. Sometimes even taking a shower would cause me some anxiety.
I’d be wondering whether I am staying in the shower for too long, what if it leads to premature labor, what if? What if? What if?… all those negative things.
It is important to find ways to keep yourself positive.
Try breathing exercises to help you relax.
Start a journal where you can express your thoughts and separate your fears from facts. A gratitude journal where you list things you are thankful for is also a good idea.
You can even write letters to your unborn baby about how you are eagerly waiting for them and what your fears are.
Keeping an ultrasound picture of your baby close by can also act as a reminder that they are okay and help you feel close to them.
You may also like:
–How to Make Pregnancy Comfortable
–How to Help During Labor: Advice for Dads and Partners
–10 Mistakes Women Make During Labor
How do you stay active on bed rest
You may not have the freedom to be as active as you wish. But, you can become a little creative with the permission of your doctor.
It’s all about making the best out of your situation.
I personally did easy stretches at least once a day while in bed to keep the blood flowing in my body. One of the greatest risks of being on bed rest for as long as I was is developing blood clots.
Since, I could not take walks, moving my hands and legs while lying down is all I had. A quick search on YouTube will give you some exercise ideas that are safe for bed rest in pregnancy. Of course, check with your doctor.
There is light at the end of the tunnel
At 38 weeks of pregnancy, I was given the greenlight to get off bed rest because my doctor and I were both ready to have this baby arrive.
Turns out she wasn’t in a hurry anymore. I ended up being induced at almost 40 weeks because I developed gestational diabetes along the way.
Thankfully, after such a bumpy ride, I had a healthy baby girl come home with me and I would not be happier.
If you are currently on bed rest during your pregnancy, hang in there, mama.
I know it is tough, but the sacrifice you are making for your baby is all worth it.
About the Author
Debbie Mogere is a wife and a mom to two lovely kids. She loves to write and is passionate about motherhood and all things to do with family. Her experiences as a new mom and going through a high-risk pregnancy inspired her to start Mother and Baby Love.
Her blog is dedicated to providing new moms with the pregnancy and postpartum support they need. You can follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter!