Coping With Bed Rest During Pregnancy

Many pregnant women find themselves quite unexpectedly on bed rest for various medical reasons. The health complications leading to bed rest bring anxiety which is only heightened when forced to abstain from normal activities. Whether bed rest lasts a few weeks a few months, or the entire pregnancy, it is no fun at all for the mom to be and coping with bed rest can be very difficult.

Understand You Doctors Instructions
The most important thing is to understand your doctor's instructions clearly. What does your doctor mean by bed rest? It may be mean not working and limited time on your feet, it may mean doing as little as possible, or it may even mean spending as much time as possible laying down. You don't want to be doing too much but there is no reason to do go beyond your doctors instructions either. Along with activity level, there will be instructions about medications, diet, and drinking extra water. Some type of exercise may be appropriate and important. Take the time to do research about medications and treatments for your condition. It will help you to make more informed decisions and ask better questions. questions of anything your unsure about and don't be afraid to call the office as you have more questions.

Set Up Your Nest
You'll want to set up the area you'll be spending most of your time so that you have access to all that you need at the stretch of your arm. You don't want to be tempted to go pillaging through a closet looking for a special item. A large bottle of water and healthy snacks are important to have on hand. A mini-fridge can be helpful if you live in two-story house. Extra pillows and blankets will keep you comfy. Keep a cordless phone nearby along with your doctor's phone number. If you need something you don't have, wait till someone to get if for you. A stash of stuff to keep you busy is a must, which leads us to the next section.

Keep Busy
The idea of being busy when I bed rest probably sounds crazy, but keeping your days full will help pass the time. Laying in bed watching television all day will get old fast.