[mama2annabelle]

I'm 27 weeks pregnant and I've been on bedrest for preterm labor for 4 weeks now and still have 10 weeks to go. I'm getting used to it now, but I'm still bored out of my mind and I miss my DD (21months) like crazy. She spends the days with my mom while DH is at work. I've gotten out of the house several times to my parents house and my mil's house just to lay on a different couch for change of scenery. I was even able to float in the pool for a while at mil's which really helped my tired, aching body, but the contractions are getting worse now so I'm pretty much staying in bed as much as possible now. I'm on terbutaline and it's worked well so far, but seems to be loosing it's effectiveness. Yesterday I had contractions for 6 hours straight and it wasn't till I took my second dose that the contractions stopped. I am seeing a midwife and planning a homebirth and am so bummed out that I may have to end up with a hospital birth instead if the little one comes early. I have an appointment with my midwife's back up doctor tomorrow to meet him and see if there is any thing else he'd like us to do to keep the baby from coming too soon. We still don't know what's causing the PTL. I did have a bacterial vaginal infection but that has been treated and has been gone now for weeks, but the contractions are still coming. I don't fit into any of the "risk factors" for PTL and my 1st pregnancy was completely normal (although difficult b/c of severe m/s and sciatica). I did have an ultrasound the 2nd time I landed in the hospital (at 24 weeks) and was found to have a low lying placenta, but from everything I've read it's not something to be concerned about since it will most likely correct itself as the pregnancy progresses.
Anyway, just wanted to chat with others in similar situation. What are you doing to keep occupied? How are you dealing with childcare? How are your children dealing with the sudden change in your normal routine? Any tips to make it easier on overworked and exhausted DH?

 

[Foobar]

I got off bedrest a week ago. I was only on for 3 weeks. We have no family in the area, so friends helped out.

Goo had some trouble with mommy being sick. I couldn't pick her up at all, so that got rough.

I had friends come over and help with dinner, child care, etc. One friend stayed for dinner, helped with after dinner and then put Goo to bed for us. It helped DH a ton.

Get some order in menus if possible. The dinners are bigger than what you need so you'll probably be able to get enough for two nights dinner if you each order an entree.

I read a lot and surfed alot (my computer is a wireless laptop). I also took a daily nap. It helped me a lot.

I wish I had more advice. Sending you hugs....

 

[mealymama]

I'm so sorry to hear about your predicament!
A friend of mine was laid up (back surgery) and joined this club:

http://www.geocities.com/the_mail_club/main-new.htm

It sounds like a blast... the members are put on a list and other members go to the list, choose who they want to send something to, and in turn receive letters and packages from all over the place.
People send and receive anything from bumper-stickers to tee-shirts to photographs to artwork...
I wonder what the chances of starting something like this on MDC would be... for other mommies who are on bed rest, or just holed-up with children, infants, PPD, BFing, homeschooling, et cetera... wouldn't be able to put addresses up, of course, but maybe there could be a list of participants to choose from, and private-message for address requests?
I know new moms might enjoy thing like home-made baking-mixes or soup-mixes, and bed-ridden ladies might like craft kits? puzzlegames?
I don't know, is this a bad idea?

 

[True Blue]

I'm 21 weeks and just got put on bedrest for ptl myself. We're waiting on test results to see if it's a UTI that caused it or not. I too am planning a homebirth but if baby comes before 36 weeks it won't happen

. I haven't hit total boredom yet, it's only been a day, so we'll see. My mw said if I feel ok then I can start trying to do stuff little by little in a few days and see how my body reacts....I sure hope I don't have to stay home the rest of my pregnancy!!! It will be a long one if I do!!