The Motherhood Center

Bed Rest

Pregnancy can be a time of delightful surprises: like finding out whether you’re having a girl or a boy, the joy of setting up the nursery and shopping for the things you need, of learning incredible things in your pregnancy class about this new being you are carrying inside of you, or how supportive your partner can be. But one of the surprises may be something you were not planning at all: being put on bed rest.

BED REST differs from woman to woman, or doctor to doctor, and can range from simple periodic resting at home to full bed rest with 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, while others may be placed on bed rest through most of their pregnancy and it can range from staying in bed 24/7 to just taking it easy around the house. Nearly 20 percent of pregnant women are prescribed some form of bed rest each year. In most cases, bed rest is used to help your body normalize itself. Bed rest gives you that opportunity, and it is often 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.

Women often feel like they must do it all, but if you are put on bed rest, you really don’t have an option; you will have to accept the new situation. It may feel strange to be managing your household, caring for your other children, taking telephone calls, working on your computer, answering emails, and setting up appointments from your bed. It may feel like you are not doing a good job, or that you are all alone or in some way inadequate, and none of this will be good for your stress level. The last thing you need is stress. Depending on the type of bed rest prescribed, your health care provider may allow you to go to the office, but to have someone else drive. While you may be permitted to walk from the front entrance to the office, you should avoid long walks and standing for long periods of time.

In addition to feeling tired and isolated, you may experience muscle and joint pain, backache and dizziness. A physical therapist or a massage therapist may be able to help you deal with these conditions and may depend on how long you have to stay in bed. If you have been inactive for a long time, you may experience muscle weakness and a lack of energy after your delivery. Again, a physical therapist or a massage therapist may be able to help you minimize these effects. Be sure to check with your health care provider before undergoing any therapy.