[soccerchic21]

Because there are only soooo many TV shows.

I am on "modified" bedrest for the next two weeks. I just need to make it to 37 weeks. Basically it is called "modified" because I convinced my midwives that I can go to work because I will just be sitting at my desk and I only work PT anyway.

So I am allowed to get up and shower, drive to work, sit at my desk, drive home then while I am at home I need to be sitting or sleeping. I was told to be a couch potato.

I WAS SO BORED TODAY!!!! And it has only been two days!!!!!!

 

[shelbean91]

I was hospitalized from 32-35 weeks w/dd, and allowed to walk a little bit, but that's all. I read lots of books (about 5-6), I did cross-stitch, I did crossword puzzles, I talked on the phone, I watched TV, I took naps, I chatted with the nurses when they had a minute to hang out.

 

[Llyra]

My bedrest was more intense-- other than bathing, I was in bed for 7 solid weeks. I sat up for eating, but otherwise, I was on my side.

I mostly just read books and watched dumb movies and made DP wait on me. It was really tough. Some days I cried because I just had nothing else to do. I really wish I'd had a laptop with an Internet connection; that would have given me tons of ways to keep entertained.

 

[Clarity]

I had a short attention span - so tv seasons on DVD, magazines, and the Internet were my main amusements. And thinking of things I felt like eating - not much appetite. Phone calls to friends. I shopped ebay for baby clothes. Develop a cloth diaper fetish and scout for used ones. Take on some projects you'll avoid until your kids are school age like organizing your pictures. Make a family recipe cookboook.

 

[deb_b]

Do you knit or crochet? I'm not on bedrest, but I find both so captivatting that sometimes it seems like I am! It really can make the hours fly by. There are a lot of good books that you can learn from. I learned from a very basic booklet I got from the craft store.

 

[broodymama]

I was on complete bedrest for 6 weeks, only allowed up to use the bathroom. Those 6 weeks seemed to last forever! I read a lot, any and every type of books. A laptop with an internet connection helped pass the time, also. My dad gave me a gift subscription to Netflix, friends dropped off bags of books and seasons of TV shows on DVD.

Good luck!

 

[KatWrangler]

I was on bedrest with my son for the last month of pregnancy. Thank goodness for a laptop. Otherwise I would of gone insane.

 

[mrsfatty]

i'm currently still bedresting away...tv, computer (my husbad increased the font so i can read it layind down and sideways), magazines, books, writing (letters or thank yous), phone...not fun--but best for baby and me

best of luck!!!

ps why are you on bedrest?

 

[leahdbc]

I was on strict bedrest from 24 weeks on - some of my lifesavers were the laptop (I think I even found a site that had oodles of pregnancy related word find puzzles! Thats how bored I was), books, books and books and fun stationary that my wonderful friend brought over (stamps included so all I had to do was have someone run it out to the mailbox). And I like spy games on the computer - involve lots of brain power so I feel like I am doing something! :LOL Seems like lots of mamas have some great ideas too - knititng, wow! what fun. Hope you find just the thing to make the time fly by.

Good luck!

 

[soccerchic21]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrsfatty ps why are you on bedrest?

:LOL I forgot to say why! :LOL

My cervix is efacing. I am 35 weeks and there was less than 1cm left. My cervix was still tight and not dialated though.

 

[JohnnysGirl]

I'm halfway through week 31 and there's about 2cm left of my cervix, very soft, but also tight/not dilating, and baby's not engaged yet, so it seems these last 3 weeks of being on partial bedrest here at home has helped slow down things (that's about the same situation they noticed at 27 weeks when the Dr. told me for goodness sakes to stay off my feet as much as possible) and hopefully I will make it as far along as you are--I would be happy to give birth in week 36 (my baby's a couple weeks ahead of the growth charts anyway) as long as the lungs are ready. DS#1 came at 34 weeks and 4 days and had to spend 3 days in an incubator in the NICU because his lungs weren't ready and it was really sad, although everything turned out great after that, praise God!

My point to all this was that I am glad to hear that things are looking so well for you, already so far along that baby's probably not in any danger any time it chooses to be born from here on out, and you're nice and closed/tight anyways, so just lay low for the next week or two and play on your laptop (or any of the other suggestions) and you'll be full term and everything's golden!

Wish me luck, please, that I make it as far as you and that I also don't go crazy with boredom at all this time laying in bed all day (I'm a champ napper--sometimes 6 hours per day of napping--i'm so tired!!)--thank goodness for the laptop and being able to type here on MDC while laying down almost totally all the way (head propped up on pillows).
(I do get up to go to the bathroom, fix myself a snack, change my son's diaper, but that's it, I don't leave the house because I can't walk more than 10 seconds without triggering tension in my uterus).

 

[soccerchic21]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Butterflymom I would be happy to give birth in week 36 (my baby's a couple weeks ahead of the growth charts anyway) as long as the lungs are ready.

I am ready I think to birth now but we are going to a freestanding birth center and I can't go there unless I am 37 weeks. I will be soooo dissappointed if something happens before then. I really didn't want to go to a hospital this time.

Quote:

I can't walk more than 10 seconds without triggering tension in my uterus).

Oh I hear that!

 

[ZeldasMom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by deb_b Do you knit or crochet? I'm not on bedrest, but I find both so captivatting that sometimes it seems like I am! It really can make the hours fly by. There are a lot of good books that you can learn from. I learned from a very basic booklet I got from the craft store.

My first thought was learn to knit (I am learning right now, so I kinda have knitting on the brain)! It's great for killing time! My favorite knitting web site is:
http://www.knittinghelp.com

I also have knitting for dummies. An MDCer also has a how-to booklet. I haven't seem it, though I have purchased some of her other stuff:
http://www.littleturtleknits.com/cat...Fcategory%3D27

I had 2 weeks of bedrest with my last pregnancy (and my baby ended up being born at term ). I got a book called Spanish in 10 minutes a day and worked on that. I read Fast Food Nation, whish is a really easy read if you haven't already read it. I have a friend now who is reading Elizabeth George mysteries. I hope the time goes fast for you!

 

[hadleys_mom]

I feel your pain! I am currently 10 weeks into my 17 week bedrest sentence due to an incompetent cervix. (4 weeks which were in the hospital) Some days are better than others with coming up with things to do. I have started taking online Braille lessons (my DD is legally blind) and have signed up for some classes through Barnes and Noble University. I get a ton of books from the library and books on CD for those times that I'm just tired of propping the book up. I rarely watch TV unless it is at night. I nap for atleast 2-3 hours a day, which seems to eat up a good part of my afternoon. I just wish that sleep was like roll over minutes so I could be banking up sleep for when the baby comes. Other things I've done over the last ten weeks: latch hook, sending thank you cards to everyone who has helped out while I'm on bedrest, I journal about this pregnancy, hang up or fold all the new baby clothes after having someone wash them, meditate, and of course online shopping!

Best of Luck!

 

[umefey]

I also learned how to knit while on bedrest with my DS.
It really helped! It was so nice to actually be -doing-- something instead of just sitting there watching dvds. hehee.

 

[flyingspaghettimama]

Hi,

There's also an organization that I found helpful (although I went on bedrest very, very early)...

http://www.sidelines.org/

They can set up a friend for you to call who went through the same thing as you; websites and lists; they have ideas for things to do, how to make snacks for yourself, etc. Here's something from their website, although I'm not so into painting my nails:

MARY ANN'S TOP TEN LIST: WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR TIME WHILE BORED IN BED! (with apologies to David Letterman!)
http://www.sidelines.org/coping3.htm

10. Paint your toenails and fingernails...as often as you'd like!
9. Learn a foreign language with books or cassettes.
8. Take a correspondence course through your local college or trade school.
7. Volunteer to make phone calls, or stuff envelopes for your place of worship or your kids' school.
6. Subscribe to the daily newspaper, and don't forget the puzzle page!
5. Teach yourself a new hobby: knitting, cross-stitch, calligraphy, etc.
4. Organize scrapbooks, or photo albums, and start new ones for your baby!
3. Create a new budget, adding in all the expenses your new baby will add!
2. Start designing your baby announcements! Buy the envelopes and address and stamp them all!
1. Create a bedrest journal, and make a commitment to writing something every day. Include photos, details about your doctor's appointments, visitors, etc.
Ideas taken from "Days In Waiting: A Guide to Surviving Pregnancy Bedrest" by Mary Ann McCann, a Sidelines e-mail volunteer. This book is available for purchase from Sidelines.

 

[henhao]

Gosh, I can think of a million things.

1. make out with husband
2. read the stack of books at my bedside
3. knit
4. sew
5. eat popsicles
6. lie down outside and watch birds and the sunset
7. watch movies from netflix
8. plan out nursery on graph paper
9. make lists
10. brainstorm ideas for my coaching business
11. write poetry
12. Call all my friends I haven't had to time to talk to in the past few months.
13. Work from home on my laptop.
14. Pet the cat
15. self-hypnosis
16. plan financial future/budget

 

[OnTheFence]

My husband bought me a Nintendo and I played video games. Got pretty good at them too. I also read a good deal -- smut mostly.

:

 

[Maggi315]

I have been thinking about what to do if I am placed on bedrest, which may happen if I don't stop contracting. right now I am fighting off a nasty UTI which doesn't seem to be responding to antibiotics, cranberry juice, obscene amounts of water, etc. Over the weekend, I felt like crap and had contractions all the time (like every 7 min). Every little thing I do starts a contraction, but luckily no far, cervix is not dilating or effacing. I also have gestational diabetes and will start insulin next week. Today I am wearing a halter monitor for my heart (increased pulse)l. Not doing too well for a homebirth midwife, huh?

My ideas for bedrest include catching up on scrapbooking, beading crafts with my 2 oldest daughters, videos from Mentura (documentaries, etc.) surfing the internet, reading and doing schoolwork with kids, etc.

Anyway, what I am worried about is taking care of my household. I have 4 kids and I don't know what to do with them over the summer. As it is, I have housecleaning every other week, but other than that particular day, my house is a mess, they run around screaming and fighting, etc. whenever I try to rest. My husband helps out as much as possible, but most of the time, I am alone with the kids.

Any ideas? I am really hoping to avoid this, but so far these contractions aren't stopping and I hate to take chances.

 

[flyingspaghettimama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maggi315 I have been thinking about what to do if I am placed on bedrest, which may happen if I don't stop contracting. Every little thing I do starts a contraction, but luckily no far, cervix is not dilating or effacing.... Any ideas? I am really hoping to avoid this, but so far these contractions aren't stopping and I hate to take chances.

Have you tried getting the fetal fibronectin test done? This test is supposed to be fairly accurate at predicting whether you have an irritable uterus or will be giving birth within the next two weeks (and therefore, go onto bedrest and/or the lovely drug terbutaline). It's a very new test, not so invasive. I dunno, my midwife likes it for reassurance and to know whether a pregnancy becomes high-risk or still at-home.

I had an irritable uterus WITH cervical changes, but I started taking cal-mag supplement after a naturopath visit; and they completely stopped. Also, was taking epsom salt baths. I think there's something about that magnesium...Both seemed to make a huge difference. I was twenty weeks. The FFN test was not available when I was pregnant; if it happens again I'm signing up, 'cos bedrest is NO fun.