I always had grand ideas of how I would be pampered and spoiled when I became pregnant. I even prepared my husband for it, scaring him of how I would probably crave hard-to-find foods in the middle of the night. Fate had a weird sense of humor, however, because I ended up being on bed rest for three months — Not exactly what I had in mind.
Fortunately, bed rest isn’t actually a form of punishment as I later found out, even if it sometimes felt like it. It actually has a medical purpose and is ordered by a physician (usually, the OB/GYN) when she perceives a problem with the pregnancy or is notified of something that could be a cause for concern. In my case, I was spotting for no apparent reason. Bed rest takes the pressure off the cervix, reduces strain on the heart, increases circulation (especially to the uterus and the placenta) and minimizes stress hormone levels in the bloodstream that can trigger contractions. It is really about keeping both mother and baby safe.
It was for those reasons that during the first few days, I didn’t mind being confined in bed at all. In fact, it made me feel all the more pregnant and important. After a while, however, I got tired of thinking up baby names and imagining baby scenarios all by myself. I also missed dressing up, having adult conversations and having real company. I missed fresh air. Talk about cabin fever!
But a pregnant woman has got to do what a loving parent has got to do. So I found ways to survive my bed rest.
I slept all I could
I took to heart what they said about parents not having a decent amount of sleep until their children leave home. I slept all the time without care of the actual time. With pregnancy hormones kicking in, I found myself often tired anyway so sleeping was actually welcome.
I nested in bed
I arranged files, organized albums, and compiled important documents. I gathered bills and receipts and attempted to create a system for them. I drafted our cash flow statement and projected expenses. I also started scrapbooking and digiscrapping, making pregnancy announcement cards that were lovely and very personalized.
I caught up with my reading.
I reread entire book series (Harry Potter, Mayfair Witches, etc.) and even favorite college textbooks. Aside from reading the pregnancy bible “What to Expect when You’re Expecting,” I also read mythology books, fairy tales and even murder trial transcripts. I reread my Readers Digests and got my husband to buy me parenting magazines. I basically read myself to sleep every day.
I watched a lot of TV.
Actually, I had marathon sessions of TV programs I would otherwise not have seen and shows that I miss and really love. Think Friends, Grey’s Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Amazing Race, Charmed, Heroes, and all CSIs. I even embraced a lot of reality and talk shows and immersed myself in celebrity gossip. I also watched National Geographic documentaries!
I turned to The Net.
What I couldn’t read from books or magazines, and what I couldn’t watch from TV, I read or watched from the net. I became a very active blogger and forum poster on parenting sites. I sought advice and comfort from the moms in my e-groups. I connected with friends via e-mail and chat. Just between you and me, I also found out that infanticipating moms on bed rest also elevated online shopping to a whole new league.
It was certainly hard delegating tasks and asking for help. It was harder still not to worry about finances, what with the loss of income, more frequent check-ups and expensive medications I had to take on top of my prenatal vitamins. But the hardest was being left alone most of the time with my worries about my baby’s health and safety. Fortunately, I had the loving support of my husband and our families.
Indeed, with the love of family and some creativity, I am sure you can survive your bed rest too without going crazy! Bed rest could also be the perfect time to prepare yourself emotionally for the new baby.
