7 WAYS TO STAY SANE WHILE YOU ARE ON BED REST DURING PREGNANCY
When you are advised to go on bed rest due to a high-risk pregnancy, it can be daunting. During my last pregnancy, I spent about 4 months on bed rest and realized early that I needed to find ways to stay sane while on bed rest.
The idea of staying in bed all the time sounds like fun at first, but it gets boring fast. The anxiety that comes with a high-risk pregnancy and having to worry about the safety of your baby makes it even harder.
However, if my experience taught me anything, it could be that it is possible to survive. Perhaps you could even thrive while you are on bed rest during pregnancy.
There are 4 key areas you should pay attention to so that you can stay happy and have some sanity while on bed rest:
- Find ways to entertain yourself
- Find ways to be productive somehow, it helps you not to feel like your days are all going to waste.
- Have a sense of community and support
- A good attitude – some positivity will keep you going on difficult days.
Things You Can Do to Stay Sane When You Are on Bed Rest
Below are some recommendations of things you can do that will make your bed rest stay easier. These are things that I practiced and found to be greatly beneficial to me.
1. Books
Even if you are not an avid reader or have never read a book other than for a class test, I would recommend you pick up this one habit. It not only makes for a good distraction from the anxiety and stress of being on bed rest while pregnant, but you also gain knowledge while at it.
You can choose to read fiction, personal development or even pregnancy and parenting books. They will serve both as entertainment and education.
If you do not like reading physical books, listen to audiobooks on Audible or eBooks on Kindle
Check out a list of our must-read books while you are pregnant
2. Movies and Videos
If you have a Netflix or Prime video subscription, this is a good time to utilize it. You can also get a free trial on any streaming service if you do not have a subscription already. I watched all the movies I had wanted to watch but never had time for and new ones that piqued my interest.
You can also watch funny videos on YouTube or Ted Talks on topics that interest you. The goal here is to be entertained so if you can get some education along with it, that will be a plus.
3. Be productive by taking an online course
Is there a subject you have been wanting to study? Check if there is a class being offered online and enroll for it. You can find courses on Udemy or other online platforms.
Another good idea is to enroll in an online prenatal/ birthing or breastfeeding class. You have to prepare for your newborn’s arrival, and you may not be able to attend physical prenatal classes so this is a good option. We recommend the Milkology breastfeeding course.
4. Online shopping and creating your baby registry
Being on bed rest should not put your baby shopping on hold because thankfully, there are online shopping options available.
As long as you have a laptop or phone and an internet connection, there are unlimited places you can shop from online. It is not always ideal, but in these circumstances, it is the best option you have.
Because I spent almost half of my pregnancy on bed rest, I shopped online for almost everything I needed for the baby. Even for things that I would normally prefer to shop for physically like a car seat and a crib. It was not such a bad experience after all.
I also set up my baby registry online while in bed and shared it with my friends who asked. To my pleasant surprise, they planned and hosted my baby shower the day after I was released from bed rest. It was such a sweet gesture. You can build an online registry with Amazon, which has a huge selection of baby gear.
5. Have a community and stay connected
This is perhaps the most important thing you can do while on bed rest. Staying connected with your friends and family. It is incredibly good for your emotional and mental wellbeing.
Make sure to call or chat with one person every day even if it is just engaging in mom groups on Facebook. Personally, I found a group for moms on bed rest in the BabyCenter app and joined. It was refreshing to chat with other moms and just keep in touch with people going through the same situation as I was. From whining about being on cervical rest to sharing about the courses everyone was taking, it helped to realize that I was not alone in this.
You could also have your friends/family come over and stay with you in the house occasionally to keep you company.
6. Do not be afraid to ask for help from family and friends
While staying connected with family and friends, don’t forget to ask for their help. You will need a lot of help since your movement is so restricted. Let people know that you need them.
I was really blessed to have friends who volunteered to help me out even before I asked. Even if you have a supportive partner, you can ask friends to come and help them out. Taking care of you, the home and still working to sustain the family can be hard on your partner and getting them some help can go a long way.
Your friends or family members can help you by bringing cooked meals, doing the laundry, or even babysitting your other kids. Basically, anything they can do to make it easier for you, don’t hesitate to ask or accept help.
7. Positive energy
I would be lying if I said that I was all peaceful and happy throughout the period I was on bed rest. Sometimes I would be extremely anxious.
A life was growing inside me and I had no idea if we were going to make it or not. That’s a lot to deal with!
However, I chose to focus on one day at a time, keep hope alive and trust that it shall be well. And thankfully we made it. (You can read my pregnancy story here)
I would suggest you find things to keep your spirits up, and even on the hard days, try journaling and finding small things to be grateful for.
In as much as you can, choose to think positive thoughts. I kept one of the sonograms from my ultrasounds close to me in bed so that I could look at my baby from time to time and feel connected. Looking at it and thinking about her lifted my spirits.
Remember, pregnancy bed rest only lasts for a while, so hang in there. It will soon pass and become a distant memory.
Hi, I’m Debbie. I am a mom of 2 and I love to talk about motherhood, family, and relationships. I also love to read a lot and writing is a creative outlet for me.I have always loved writing, and I feel that I express myself best through the written word, it only made sense to share this information with other mothers through a blog. So Mother and Baby Love was born. As a space for new moms to find useful information to empower them in their motherhood journey. Visit Motherandbabylove.
