Bed rest

spash

So I have officially been put on bed rest after my hospital stint this weekend and PTL scare. Just wondering if there is any exercises we can do safely from bed. I also have GD so wanna do whatever I can. Also what can I do to help me not lose my mind. I'm a pretty active person and used to doing lots so not being able to do much is difficult for me and I'm sure many of us. I'm open for all advice and suggestions. Thank you!!!

smscartozzi

I am new to bed rest as well so I don't have much advise.  You might want to post this in the daily bed rest check-in.  I ordered some supplies for craft projects and DH will be bringing them later this week.  Hoping that will get me through a week or two at least!  No advise on exercise other than maybe arm exercises....maybe a tension band?

10-4LilBuddy

I had a consultation with a PT when I was admitted. For legs, most of the exercises are ankle rotations, writing the alphabet with your toes, flexing your leg up to the quads. For arms, you can do arm rotations, light stretches, and rubber exercise tubes for some flexes. Do not engage your core at all!!! Do not bear down. These are the two things that they emphasized.

It's hard to be on bedrest and get used to not moving much. I have decompensated quite a bit in my 9 weeks that I need to sit in a chair with a back in the shower. However, it is muscle that can be rebuilt and if it buys my kiddos a little extra time in utero, I'll do it.

hjweber

I am also new to bed rest.  Do you have any other children?  This seems to be the biggest challenge I face; I have a 2 year old DD.  I spent a total of 4 nights away at the hospital being monitored and receiving medications and it was so hard for me to be away from her.  I couldn't wait to be home and today is my first day home and I'm feeling a little stressed.  I am not used to not being able to do things around the house (laundry, dishes, cooking, playing with DD, grocery shopping...) and I can tell this is going to take a lot of discipline.  I know it's for LO in my belly and that I have to keep off my feet but I'm just not sure how to delegate these tasks to others.  DH is here but we had been having marital issues prior to the pregnancy and I feel like this is too much for him to handle.  I have my mom (but she works a full-time job) and my sister (but she has school during the day); and DD will be able to go to daycare (which she enjoys) twice a week for a few hours, which will help.  They say we will make this work but I'm feeling very overwhelmed and scared that I won't be able to do what I need to do to keep LO baking.  

I can get up to use the bathroom, get a drink or a bowl of cereal (or something readily available), and I can take a quick shower once a day.  Other than that, I am to stay on the couch or in bed.  How am I going to do this?  

smscartozzi

@hjweber

I am in the same boat as you, I went into the hospital at exactly 29w.  I am still in the hospital on bed rest and I hate to say it but I may be happier to stay here because I know if I go home I won't be able to stay in bed or on the couch. I have a DS that turned 2yo on the 7th.  I would be getting up to play with him and get him meals.  Can you afford to hire a babysitter until your DH gets home from work each day?  Hopefully things will come around with your DH and he will help more, it is his baby too!!  I don't really have any advise, I am lucky to have a mom who doesn't work and my MIL is 78, so they can both help out at the house while I am gone.

On a side note, I am missing my little man more and more everyday!!  I totally feel ya on that one, its so hard to be apart for that long:)

spash

I felt the same way at the hospital. I have a 6 year old so luckily he is at school during the day but it was awful being in the hospital. I just wanted to be with him. Me and my husband have also been having marital problems prior to and throughout the pregnancy. Today is day 3 of bed rest for me and I find myself so emotional. I just cry out of the blue. I'm scared and nervous and feel completely out of control. It's really hard for an active person to nt be able to do much. I feel for you ladies and pray for us all that we can and will hang in there until our babies our ready! Xo

kneenah1231

I have been dealing with bed rest for 11 long weeks. I am not going to sugar coat it to make it seem like its a piece of cake because it isn't BUT its do able. In the beginning you want to cry and feel completely disconnected to the world and even guilty that your body is failing you but. as the days and weeks go by you learn to accept your new normal. 

My dh use to leave me lunch but stopped since my cervix has been stable for the past 6wks. I get my own lunch then move from the bed to the living room and i keep the light on so it dont feel so gloomy. I watch tv and work on my crochet blanket which i learned on bedrest. I text alot and look for sells online. I work on my registry and shop. I am currently planning my baby shower. Since i have an appt every week I have thursdays to look forward to. I also have a nurse come and see me every week for my 17p shot usually on fridays so thats another thing i look forward to and my wednesday weekly milestone celebration. Even tho i have been on house arrest for 11wks I still have my days where i want to cry but I just continue to look at the big picture and tell myself. I promised my baby i would give my life for her and here i am giving her all of me so she can have a great chance of life. There is light at the end of the tunnel ladies, you just have to be strong and remember this isnt forever.  

please feel free to join the daily bedrest check in.. The ladies there are absolutely amazing and supportive...

claar

Yes, I am on week 9 of bedrest.  I have to accept that I have good days and bad days.  Good days-I get a lot accomplished (coordinate nursery, house renovations), craft, read, crochet, practice guitar.  I will be honest, that is maybe 2 or 3 days out of the week.  Then, there are my "not so good" days, where I just roll around in the bed all day, watching Netflix, feeling sorry for myself and staring at the cellulite on my body that was NOT there a week ago! I have to remind myself not to beat myself up about how I spend my time on bedrest....none of us should.  Bedrest is HARD!  I try to tell people how maddening it is to have so much time on your hands but not have the ability to get up and do anything.  Take comfort in that it is a finite period of time.  How quickly I forgot about the 22 weeks of bedrest I did for my son two years ago!  

I have a weird coping mechanism: I count down the remainder of my bedrest, then count back from the present day and try to remember what I was doing that day, and help me realize I don't have that much time left. For example, I have 6 weeks of bedrest to go, and I am a little over 31 weeks,, so I go back to when I was 25 weeks (i.e. around that time was my MIL's birthday, which they actually came to my house so I could take part), and I realize, oh, that wasn't so long ago....

Sorry, this post is all over the place.  But keep checking in for support...the ladies are great on this board.

claar

Oh, for your question-I think I remember my PT in the hospital saying you could do "butt lifts"-let me see if I can describe-lie on back, knees bent, then push your pelvis up to the ceiling, only engaging your glutes and the backs of your thighs.  Sadly, there is very little we can do, because you have to leave your core alone!!!!! My exercise regimen has been lifting the spoon from the icecream carton to my mouth.  

Just so you know, after my firstborn, I qualified for physical therapy for several weeks and it was covered by insurance.  I had to get a physician's note that attested to my muscle weakness from prolonged bedrest. I would ask your ob/gyn about it after your LO is born.  It helped me a lot, and then I was able to start exercising regularly again.