Your pregnancy is well underway, but for any number of reasons, your doctor has decided to put you on bedrest. If you’re lucky, it will only be for a few days, or just for a few hours a day. If you are in a high risk category for things like high blood pressure or gestational diabetes, or are carrying twins or triplets, you may find yourself being in bed rest for an extended period of time. While it may be frustrating to be lying in bed when you have so many other things to do, bedresting when pregnant can be an opportunity to relax and focus on some activities that you might otherwise not have time for.
Here are some things you can do to make bedresting when pregnant a positive experience. Getting in touch with friends is something you may not have much time for when the baby arrives. Being in bed rest means that you can make phone calls or even arrange to have friends come see you. Establishing a routine is an important part of getting the most out of bed rest. Even if you know you won’t be going out, get up in the morning and put on some comfortable clothes. That way, you will also be prepared if your friends come calling.
If you have never been able to find the time to organize photos, file paperwork or correspond with friends via e-mail or letter-writing, now is a good time to take care of those things. The benefit to this is that you will feel a sense of accomplishment, even if you never left your bed.
Bedresting when pregnant is an ideal time for you to make all sorts of preparation for the baby. You can shop by phone or on the internet for baby supplies, work on picking out a name, getting a registry started; you can also get started on the birth announcements and work on changing your will and insurance, if necessary.
Being in bed rest means that you may have to rely on others to get some things done. Don’t be afraid to ask friends and family for a hand. If necessary, ask for help with housework, meals, or all kinds of errands. Even though you may not want to ask, realize that the people close to you care about you and want to help. You may find that you receive phone calls out of the blue, asking how they can help. For this reason, it’s a good idea to have a “to do” list, so you can get important things done first.
Bedresting when pregnant is the perfect time to educate yourself still further on pregnancy and childbirth. You may find that you’ve learned all kinds of useful things that will make labor and delivery much easier, and you can also spend a good deal of time reading about parenting in general.
Being in bed rest can be frustrating and inconvenient, but if you see it as an opportunity to pamper yourself and get things done, you may be glad you were given such an opportunity.
