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Bed Rest
Bed rest is a common
practice during pregnancy to alleviate certain pregnancy complications.
Some women know it is coming because of 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 and 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, whereas
other women may be placed on bed rest through most of their pregnancy. Bed
rest can be anything from confinement to bed to just taking it easy around
the house.
What are the reasons for bed rest ?
Your health care 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 complications that
may lead to bed rest:
* High blood pressure, such as preeclampsia, and eclampsia
* Cervical changes, such as
incompetent cervix, and 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 help the body have the 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
(often on your side) 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 or rest
on your side, usually with your knees or hips bent, and maybe 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 health care provider about the best ways for you
to get exercise in your situation.
“Do's” and “Don’ts” during bed rest:
The “do's” and “don’ts” 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, exercise, 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 things you
can do to make your bed rest a more positive experience:
Establish a routine: Bed rest may lead you to feel that things are
out of your control. Establish a routine to help you feel better about
your situation and that you are still in control. Change into comfortable
clothes and have a schedule for the day.
Spring cleaning: Ok, yes 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 whatever other projects that need
attention.
Connect with friends: After the baby arrives you will be busy
taking care of things, and visiting with friends may be difficult. Use
this time to make phone calls that allow you to visit with friends and let
them know more about your expected bundle.
Baby preparations: Bed rest provides you with an opportunity to get
organized and plan for things related to the baby. You can begin planning
for baby names, baby registry, a new will, guardianship, insurance, baby
announcements, thank you notes and financial matters. You may also use
this time to order things through the internet or on the phone for the
nursery or other items you will need to care for the baby.
Medical preparations: Bed rest will also give you time to research,
learn, and plan to deal with a complication, such as the delivery of a
premature baby. 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. They know you would do
the same for them, so don’t be afraid to ask for help with meals,
household chores or errands. You may even find that people 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 to help you become a parenting
expert. You can learn more about breastfeeding, child development,
immunizations, and other things related to you, your baby, and parenting.
Love those around you: Bed rest will require those around you to
invest more in the chores, tasks and activities that you may normally have
handled. Recognizing your situation, they hopefully will be doing things
with a positive attitude already. But you can always 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. Having things at your
fingertips will make things easier. Here is a checklist of items you may
want near the bed or couch:
* Telephone, directory and address book
* Pens, pencils and paper
* Brush, comb, and mirror
* Books, magazines, or other reading materials
* Remote controls to TV and VCR
* Laptop computer
* Cosmetics, nail files, etc.
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