Womb to Bloom - Maternity & Beyond

If you run into complications during your pregnancy, your obstetrician may order bedrest for the benefit of you and your baby’s health. You may not like the idea of being stuck in a lousy bed for days, weeks, or months on end. But the sooner you accept it, the sooner you can find ways to beat the boredom.

When you wake up in the mornings, take a quick shower (clear it with your doctor first), and change out of your pajamas. If your spouse works, make sure to take your shower and get dressed before he leaves home just in case you run into a problem. Put on a little makeup, and comb your hair too. It will help take the sting out of being confined to the bed.

Bedrest isn’t so bad if you have friends and family to lift your spirits, run errands for you, and take care of minor household tasks. They can take care of other children in the house, do the grocery shopping, walk the dog, do light house cleaning, and prepare meals.

To prevent unnecessary walking back and forth to the kitchen, stock a small refrigerator with your favorite foods, and put it in your bedroom. Having a well-stocked refrigerator within reach is especially important if you’re spending most of your days alone.

If I didn’t have my trusty laptop during my stint on bedrest, I would have been lost. It really helped the time pass quickly. I was able to chat online with friends, email relatives, hang out in forums, read articles, and register for a few online courses. I also used my laptop to download some of my favorite “old school” tunes that I didn’t get to hear very often.

Being on bedrest is the perfect time to write a book, or start journaling about your experiences. I found journaling to be a therapeutic outlet for me to write down my thoughts, fears, and insecurities without the worry of being judged. You can even use your laptop to start a blog, and share your experiences with other. Who knows, you might be the one who helps another mom-to-be get through the tough times.

I’ve always been told that watching too much TV was bad for me. If that’s the case, I should be ashamed of myself for the enormous amount of television, and DVD’s I watched when I was confined to the bed. But my brain didn’t turn completely into mush because I exercised it by doing crossword puzzles and word searches.

Reading has always been my first love--so being on bedrest gave me an excuse to indulge in my favorite magazines. I had an opportunity to catch up on the hottest novels, and I kept up with current events. When I just wanted to lay back and close my eyes, I listened to novels on cassette tapes. My photo album was a mess, and I was always meaning to find the time to straighten it up. While I was on bedrest, I had plenty of time to organize my pictures.

Stay connected with the outside world by talking on the phone to friends, family, and associates regularly. I wrote letters, and sent cards to everyone I knew. Also, bring life to your room by opening up the blinds, and having someone bring you fresh flowers once a week.

It’s easy to feel down in the dumps, and frustrated when you’re stuck in the bed during your pregnancy. But if you’re creative, you can find a number of ways to beat the boredom of bedrest, and make the days go by a little faster.