Bed rest is commonly prescribed during pregnancy to alleviate certain pregnancy complications. Some women know it is coming because of their medical history, whereas others are surprised during a routine checkup. Bed rest is common, so don’t be alarmed.
Bed rest will differ from woman to woman and may range from simple periodic resting at home to full bed rest with monitoring in a hospital. Some women will discover that their health care provider places them on bed rest for a brief period to help a complication stabilize, while other women may be placed on bed rest throughout most of their pregnancy if they have what is called, a high-risk pregnancy.
What are the common reasons for bed rest during pregnancy?
Your healthcare provider may prescribe bed rest for any number of reasons, but in all cases, it is to increase the probability that you continue with a healthy pregnancy.
Here is a list of pregnancy complications that may lead to bed rest:
-
- High blood pressure, such as preeclampsia or eclampsia
- Cervical changes, such as the incompetent cervix or cervical effacement
- Vaginal bleeding
- Premature labor
- Multiples
- History of pregnancy loss, stillbirth, or premature birth
- Poor fetal development
- Gestational diabetes
- Placenta complications, such as placental abruption, placenta previa, and placenta accreta
How will bed rest help?
In most cases, bed rest is used to give the body it’s best chance to normalize. Bed rest will be used with women who have conditions related to high blood pressure in order to decrease stress and lower blood pressure. Work, activity, lifting, or exercise may worsen or provoke certain situations, so bed rest may be prescribed to reduce vaginal bleeding or decrease the chance of premature labor. Bed rest may also be necessary to help increase blood flow to the placenta.
What is the best position for bed rest?
The best position for bed rest will depend on your situation and what complication your health care provider is trying to address or prevent. In most cases, your healthcare provider will request that you sleep and rest on your side, usually with your knees or hips bent, and maybe with a pillow between your knees.
You may be asked to lie on your back while being propped up with pillows or to lie on your back with your hips or legs elevated higher than your shoulders.
How can I deal with bed rest discomforts?
Bed rest will tend to cause your muscles to lose tone and make some of your joints ache. Lying down for long periods of time can also reduce your blood circulation. Changing from side to side will help stimulate your muscles and relieve pressure.
Exercise is important for your blood circulation, but make sure that you visit with your health care provider before you begin any exercises.
Below are common exercises that may be used:
- Squeezing stress balls
- Pressing your hands and feet against the bed
- Turning your arms and feet in circles
- Tensing or tightening your arm and leg muscles
Avoid using your abdominal muscles when you are stretching or exercising. Again, consult with your healthcare provider about the best ways for you to get exercise in your situation.
“Do’s” and “Don’t’s” during bed rest:
The “do’s” and “do not’s” during bed rest will vary from woman to woman, depending on your situation and the reasons that bed rest is prescribed by your health care provider. It is important to get a clear understanding of what is allowed during your bed rest period.
In most cases, bed rest will require that you avoid lifting, exercising, or any strenuous activity.
Here is a list of activities to discuss with your health care provider:
- Cooking
- Light chores
- Walking
- Bath or shower
- Driving
- Exercise
- Sexual intercourse
If your bed rest occurs for a long period of time, it is important to discuss exercises or activities that you are allowed to do to keep your blood circulating.
How can I make the best of bed rest?
Bed rest may sound fun, but it is usually challenging for most women, particularly if it is for longer periods.
There are a number of activities you can engage in to make your bed rest a more positive experience:
- Start a journal: Putting your thoughts to paper can be therapeutic and imagine sharing what you were thinking and going through with your LO one day. Whether you share with them or keep it as a private journal, these days and weeks will go by faster than you think. It can be fun to look back and remember how far you have come.
- Create a vision board and set life goals: I am sure you have heard about the power of attraction. Whether you believe it is true or not, it is always a great idea to make goals, so you can achieve them. Anything is possible. Why not reach for the stars? Set reachable short term goals that align with extraordinary long-term goals. A vision board is perfect for creating what you want your life to look like. Pick out how much you want to make, what you want your career to be, what car you want to drive and what you want your house to look like. These are a few examples. Really you can have anything on your vision board, look at it daily and imagine what it feels like to already have these things. Be happy and positive. Stay focused and see how many things come true that you put your mind to.
- Become a Pinterest master: If you don’t have a free Pinterest account already, do it! You can create boards like baby’s nursery, recipes, dream homes, DIY projects or interior design ideas. To name just a few, really it is up to you what you create and Pin. Be prepared to lose all boredom into the Pinterest abyss and be sure to Follow APA on Pinterest!
- Start a blog: A blog should reflect your interests so you never run out of things to write about. Who knows you could end up starting your own business or join the large and highly paid mommy blogger universe.
- Join a pregnancy community: Let’s face it, nobody knows what you are going through like other moms that have been there or moms-to-be. You will end up finding other mommas to share experiences, advice, and hope with. You may even make a few friends. Who else is really up all hours of the night googling stuff about pregnancy and babies?
- Establish a routine: Bed rest may make you feel as if you are not in control. Establish a routine to help you feel more in control of your situation. Change into comfortable clothes and have a schedule for the day.
- Simple organization: You are stuck in bed, but this is an excellent opportunity to organize photo albums, make changes to address books, update recipes, or work on other projects that need attention.
- Give Google a rest: Googling all day and night can become a source of stress which is what you need to be avoiding.
- Connect with friends: After the baby arrives you will be busy, so visiting with friends may be difficult. Use this time to make phone calls to your friends.
- Baby preparations: Bed rest provides you with an opportunity to get organized and plan for the baby. You can begin planning for baby names, a baby registry, a new will, guardianship, insurance, baby announcements, thank you notes and financial matters. You may also use this time to order nursery items on the internet or the phone.
- Medical preparations: Bed rest will also give you time to research and plan to deal with a complication. You can get online or read books to discover how you can be prepared for handling an early delivery or other complications.
- Allow friends and family to help: Your family and friends care about you and are interested in helping you out. Don’t be afraid to ask for help with meals, household chores or errands. You may even find that people will call to ask what they can do to help. Make it easier on yourself by having a “to do” list with you.
- Become a parenting expert: Bed rest provides you with an excellent opportunity to search the internet, read books, and go through baby and parenting magazines to gain information on parenting.
- Love those around you: Bed rest will require those around you to invest more time in chores and activities that you may normally have handled. Take this time to do something for them to show your appreciation such as make a card, write a letter, or order a special gift.
- Get organized: Being confined to the bed does not mean that you cannot be productive, whether it is accomplishing things for your family, your home, or just doing something for yourself.
Here is a checklist of items you may want near the bed or couch:
- Lots of water and snacks
- Telephone, charger, directory or address book
- Journal, Pens, pencils or paper
- Brush, comb, and mirror
- Books, magazines, or other reading materials
- Remote controls to the TV and VCR
- Laptop computer
- Cosmetics, nail files, etc.
Want to Know More?
Compiled using information from the following source:
Nemours Foundation, https://kidshealth.org/index.html
The post Bed Rest During Pregnancy appeared first on American Pregnancy Association.