I remember the very first day I was ever put on bed rest. I had had a great first pregnancy, and had been assured that the twinges and rhythmic tightening I had been experiencing this time was the product of a used uterus. But that morning, standing in my classroom, my eyes couldn’t help but travel periodically to the clock. Around mid morning, right as I was reviewing a lesson with my students, it hit me.
The pains had been coming steadily every 5 minutes since 8 AM, and were getting harder and harder to keep secret from my inquisitive 6th graders. I went to my classroom phone and quietly dialed my doctor’s office. Incredibly, he wanted to talk to me personally. He would later tell me that it was something about my voice that concerned him, and made him have me go straight to the hospital that day and not to his office. He just knew my issues were real, and that I needed more than just a pep talk and a pelvic exam.
Three days later, after having been rushed to the nearest high tech hospital (I was in my 32nd week, and the local hospital didn’t feel equipped to “handle the problems common in 32-weekers”), I still had not given birth, thanks to magnesium sulfate, which managed to slow, but never stop, my contractions. So I was sent home, and told that I would be on bed rest until delivery, but that they expected I would deliver in a couple weeks at most.
One week turned to two, then four… and I still had not given birth. I visited my doctor’s office weekly, begging to be induced. I was tired of taking terbutaline pills that made me feel like a rat on a hamster wheel – “terb-o” often made me feel restless and full of energy, but there was no outlet. By week 37, I no longer even smiled at the doctor. I told him flat out that he was just a bold faced liar, and that I knew I would be pregnant forever and stuck counting the number of minute cracks in my ceiling. My body had betrayed me, and then couldn’t even finish that in an expedient manner.
Of course by the time my third pregnancy came around, I was ready. Like clockwork, at thirty-two weeks to the day, I again ended up on bed rest. I was determined not to go insane this time, and made it my business to find ways to cope with the mindless and endless hours of sitting around feeling enslaved. And with a little determination and creativity, I was pleasantly surprised at what I came up with.
You can’t beat the classics. Or the comedies and the dramas, for that matter. One of the first things I did when I began bed rest was to sign up for a movie rental delivery service. I then set about watching every single movie I had ever missed. I never paid late fees, and didn’t have to work hard to return the discs when I had viewed them.
Crafts aren’t just for camp! I used bed rest as a time to catch up on those craft projects I had wanted to complete. I scrapbooked, made jewelry, and even did some needlepoint. I could not bring myself to knit booties, but I did get a great journaling book done.
Get connected! I lived for my laptop and my internet connection during bed rest. It was my window to the outside. I was able to access forums and chat rooms and talk with other moms and moms-to-be. I could share my frustrations, get support, and just interact, all from my own home. My husband tried to understand my feelings, but he didn’t always get how isolated I felt. I could hop online for a few minutes… okay, maybe for a few hours at a time, and share my experiences with others who were going through it too. I also developed a blog during this time, and maintain it even now.
Curl up with a great book! I loved reading romance novels while on bed rest. Not necessarily trashy novels (although if that is what floats your boat, go for it), but nice feel-good books that provided an escape of sorts. I read whatever I wanted, and delighted in being able to do so without interruption during the day. I even did read-alouds with the baby! Oddly enough, many of the children’s books I read to my daughter during this time remain among her favorites even now!
Unleash your inner gamer! I discovered video games quite by accident when I plopped on the couch one morning and flipped on the television, only to find that my husband had not disconnected his gaming system from the night before. Despite myself I tried out the game, and ended up hooked. I am still a pretty good player, even now!
Bed rest doesn’t have to be a jail sentence. It is a great opportunity to get some solo time before the newest addition arrives. The best way to get through it is to have fun! Use bed rest as a time to get in some well deserved pampering, and to explore some interests. You might find a surprising new hobby or passion that lasts a lifetime. You – and your loved ones – can survive bed rest with a little planning, creativity, and style.
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