Bed rest anyone?

[Jenn98]

I just got put on complete and total bedrest for at least the next 7 weeks, when they will do another ultrasound to see if I've improved. I am 11w4d and they found a complete placenta previa during an ultrasound yesterday. I have a 10 month old and I work. This is such a monkey wrench! I know babyy #2 is most important, but the thought of doing nothing for 7 weeks is overwhelming. It's just a lot to juggle. Anyone have any tips on how to make things easier or how to handle the boredom? I've already looked into a house cleaner!

[megs4413]

I was on bedrest on and off during pg....from about 11 weeks pg until about 16 wks and then again at about 32 wks until 36....

I didn't have a little one yet, so I can't imagine how difficult that is going to be...BUT the boredom factor: no way around it...you're gonna be bored. If you have a laptop, i would keep it with you at all times. Get books or magazines (i love the trashy gossip ones because they're easy to read and entertaining). Have a list of friends you can call and rotate the phone calls---like let's say 5 people you can call and just talk to and then you call two of them one day and another one the next...KWIM? It's also good to develop an addiction to some kind of computer game. with dd it was yahoo games and now it's sudoku. I know that even sounds boring but it can be distracting. Whatever you do, don't sit there and EAT! The results are not pretty. Good luck...try not to stress. you can do it for your baby!

[TaChapm]

Sorry you are going through this. I have been on bed rest for the past 3 weeks and HOPE to be released from it tomorrow if everything looks well. I was on bedrest with both of my boys as well. It isn't fun!

Online shopping can get really dangerous but passes the time. :) I usually don't read tabloid magazines but they are a must when on bedrest. There is nothing easy or fun about it. Everyone says they would love to do nothing but lay in bed but after 1-2 days you get really uncomfortable and everything starts to hurt. Having a good maternity pillow has really helped in the past 3 weeks because it helps to ease the pressure. (I have the moonlight slumber one)

Hang in there! A good support system helps out a lot and you know you've got that here! :)

Tara
Mommy to Jackson 11-10-02
Tyler William 6-9-05
OMG!!! It's a GIRL!! Due September 5, 2006!

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[JulieL]

Yep, 8 weeks last fall. I too had another kiddo, but my son was almost 3 1/2, so he was a bit self suficiant than your little one. A great source of networking and help is http://www.sidelines.org/
I had a lady paired up to me with Sidelines with a similar pregnancy situation who called me. My MIL came up from San Antonio to help out, and it was a HUGE blessing.

It is down right boring but every woman's physical ability during bedrest varies. So women are strapped laying down on a bed and can't even get out of bed to use the restroom. Others are able to stay home, and can get up only to use the restroom, go to bed and so forth. My experiance in bedrest was not what I thought it would be. I was on bedrest due to an irritible uterus, which eventually put me into premature labor. I contracted 2-10+ hours a day. I had visions of me doing all the scrapbooking, quilting and such that I had neglected to do previously. Then I figured out that if I sat straight up my contractions got worse. So I didn't get to sew, or do any of those kinds of activities that required a flat table. I would advise you to give no visions of what bedrest is "sappose" to be and just go with the flow. I think if I would have had that mind set I wouldn't have gotten depressed about what I couldn't do.

The interent is GREAT to waste time ;), ditto with the online shopping, I love to read so I was loaned a ton of great books by friends and had a fun time reading. A girlfriend of mine did a ton of sorting through stored and disorganised papers when she was on bedrest. You could learn a new craft - knitting, cross stitching, and the like.

I sure hope you have a safe pregnancy, and hope you get LOTS of support!

Oh also you could call a local hospital and see if you could "hook up" via phone with the women who are on bedrest in the hospital.

Good Luck!

eta: I would be straight forward about how you are feeling with people too that you are around alot. Many people think/say : Oh you're on bedrest, you can finally sleep and lounge, - as if bedrest was a piece of cake and just time for you to pamper yourself, when really you are trying desperately just to take care of your little one inside. Anyway the Sidelines magazine had some GREAT suggestions on what friends and family can do to help, and what things NOT to say that are not helpful at all, as well as activities to do on bedrest.

If you have any other questions feel free to pm me!

eta 2: it's a good time to watch the BBC series Pride and Prejudice if you haven't already!

[annasmom]

I am really sorry! I just got off of bedrest a few weeks ago. I was put on from 12 weeks until 18 weeks. I actually wasn't on "bed rest" but rather restricted activity, although as far as I was concerned I wasn't allowed to DO anything so what did it matter?? I couldn't drive, I couldn't pick up my children, etc.

Anyway, I would love to say I was really constructive while on bedrest, but I wasn't. I was put on for a subchorionic bleed, and I was extremely stressed due to the bleeding and cramping. I was on BB a lot, and my Preggo Pals saved my sanity (the link is in my siggie).

It is really hard with little ones. Is your 10 month old even crawling yet?? Do you have anyone who can stay with you and help out?? My mom and dad came and saved us, really I don't know what I would have done without them.

My sister has been on bedrest multiple times, and her advice was to read lots of "fluff" to keep your mind off of things. Everyone is different, and like a PP stated sometimes even visions of easy scrapbooking get thwarted.

Good luck and best wishes for a speedy recovery!

[Jenn98]

Thanks for all the support. I have a feeling the BBB will be seeing a lot more of me now! I'm trying to stay positive and have already started a list of things I can do to keep myself busy. I have a ton of photos I can organize, I can pick up knitting again, read, etc. I think it'll do me some good to just turn off the tv, too. Thanks for the tips!

[Mamma2004]

I'm sorry you're on bedrest! It happened to me with DS and I used the time to read BB, research all of my purchases on the Internet, etc. I had a lot of support, including friends who would drop by with lunch or groceries, so I actually ended up writing a LOT of thank-you notes during that time!

It's true that most people will tell you that bedrest is great opportunity to sleep, watch TV, veg, etc. but it is sooooo hard. I nearly went crazy so I guess I'm really chiming in just to offer some support from another BTDT mamma.

LMK if there is anything we can do!

Good luck,

Stephanie

[spu]

I was on complete bedrest for 4.5 months when I was pg with my twins. First thing I'd do if I were you is contact sidelines.org. They were crucial to helping me cope and making it one day at a time to a successful ending. In fact, I even became a sidelines volunteer.

Next thing I'd do is make sure you do whatever is necessary to stay down. At this early stage, it's critical that you follow dr's orders.

I set myself up on the sofa in the family room (I was given permission to go downstairs ONCE to get to the sofa, and that's it.). Get a cooler filled with lunch, snacks. surround yourself with things for your 10m old... see if you can hire a mother's helper or daytime nanny to help with your 10m old...

Some fun things are computer games, video games, internet, online shopping... whatever you do, set up a daily schedule that you can follow so you're not floating aimlessly throughout the day. Breakfast... brush teeth... watch a certain program... snack... read... lunch... crossword puzzle... arm exercises (if you're able)... snack... computer time... dinner... wash face... etc... It really helps the days go by so much faster. And all along, remind yourself that you're creating and growing a baby! which is the most amazing thing!!!

If you're down long enough, you may be eligible for short and/or long term disability. It's worse wondering what everyone else is thinking at work, when you're home worrying about you, your family, your baby, work, life, etc...

If there's anything I can do to help, feel free to contact me. Do contact sidelines, too. They specialize in these kinds of situations and can hook you up with a bedrest buddy who has been there and can understand everything you're going through.

best wishes!!


susan

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charlotte + else

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[emily_gracesmama]

Here's some hope for you. My best friend was diagnosed with complete placenta previa as well early at around 13 weeks too. They put her on modified bed rest, no lifting her not yet walking 13 mth old at all. But at her 20 week ultrasound, it had completely disappeared. One ob told her most people don't get the early ultrasounds to even know that they would have it and since the uterus is so small at that point, everyone has some degree of it at that early stage, that of course was just her opinion. So maybe yours will fix itself too! I will cross my fingers for you!

[maestramommy]

Movies! Being bedridden motivates me to rent all the videso of movies I never got around to seeing! Never been on bedrest, but this is what I used to do when I got sick and couldn't do much else except lie there.

Also, there is a meal service that puts together very nutritious (and delicious!) meals for a family of four, a month at a time. Drat, I can't remember the name, but I'll ask around.