Why bed rest in pregnancy?

Why do you need bed rest? Some doctors suggest bed rest for conditions like growth problems in the baby, high blood pressure , vaginal bleeding, threatened miscarriage and other problems. 

Does bed rest help?

For some women bed rest can help especially if you are putting a lot of pressure on yourself when you shouldn’t be. 

Downsides of bed rest

Pregnancy already increases a woman’s risk for developing clots because the growing uterus puts pressure on veins in the pelvis and the major vein that returns blood from the legs. This blocks blood from returning from the veins in the legs. 

What can I do while on bed rest?

Bed rest can be challenging so it is important to have a open mind and be organised. Get washed up and dressed every day. Get yourself these items to keep yourself busy while you are on bed rest. These could include: 

• Computer 
• Phone
• TV remote 
• Books 
• Pen and paper or cards 
• Hand sanitizer 
• Lip balm 
• Healthy snacks and water 

Schedule your day

Staying on schedule will break up the day and fight boredom. Get dressed in the morning. Keep a to-do list and plan activities for the day, such as: 

• Reading 
• Watching tv 
• Emailing or texting 
• Calling 
• Drawing 
• Knitting