pregnant woman laying on bed

The priority while on best rest is the word rest. No one wants to have all their freedoms taken away during pregnancy, but if the bed rest is best for baby, it is what is best for mom, too.

Here are some tips for coping with bed rest during pregnancy:

  1. Rest often. Whenever you can, you should try to rest and relax. Just remember, after the baby is born there will be less time for rest so take advantage of the time now.
  2. Stay on your side. Depending on the condition that caused the need for bed rest, mom should probably try resting on one side or the other. It is often a great idea to prop the legs up above the heart to keep swelling to a minimum.
  3. Exercise while on bed rest. Exercise and bed rest are not usually uttered in the same sentence. But nothing is more important than moving your legs and arms when you are on bed rest. Not moving around increases the risks of blood clots, and doing some exercises helps prevent the clots: Move your arms and legs, bend your knees often, push with your feet agains the end of the bed, "push the pedal," lift some weights. You get the drift?
  4. Keep busy and start a routine. Staying busy while sitting in bed is the hardest thing to do. There are plenty of activities that mom and baby can enjoy so making a list is a great start. If you establish a daily routine with times scheduled for each of the tasks you want to accomplish, the day will fly by much more quickly. It is like having something to look forward to even though you are on bed rest.
  5. Start or finish projects. If there are any projects that have been started like family albums or collecting addresses from friends and family, this is the time to complete those projects. You could be more organized at the end of the bed rest than you were before.
  6. Catch up on communication. Calling friends and family members can be time consuming and there is never enough time in the day when you are pregnant and planning for the baby. On bed rest, the phone is your best friends. Just make sure to talk about something other than the pregnancy. You are a person too, not just a mom.
  7. Craft for baby. Did you want to create a growth chart or a handmade set of booties for baby but never had the time? Now you do, so get to crafting from the comfort of your bed.
  8. Organize family paperwork. With baby and doctor's appointments, there is a lot of paperwork to be sorted. Bed rest time is the optimal time to organize and situate all the paperwork you have collected over the years. Need medical records? The phone is right beside the bed so call and request the files you need.
  9. Start a blog or website. The Internet is the saving grace for women on bed rest. You can start a blog or a website dedicated to the baby or to some other hobby or interest. The time you spend on that blog or website is fun filled and time filling as well.
  10. Write a book. Many people have the idea to write a book but never the time. Mom can spend the time she is on bed rest beginning the book she has always wanted to write. Even if the book does not get finished by the time baby arrives, at least there is a start.
  11. Enlist help for the to-do list. Are their things around the house that need to be done and you have not had the time? A to-do list is a great way to take friends and family members up on their offers for help. From changing light bulbs to mowing the grass, there is a task for everyone.
  12. Earn money. Some websites are willing to pay writers for blogs or articles online. If you are on bed rest, what more do you have to do than type a little here and there.

Read More: 
Bed Rest During Pregnancy