pregnancy
W O R D S A L E X I S PAT T E R S O N
Rest Well or every 100 moms-to-be reading this, 18 of you are on bed rest—or will be. The most common reasons include symptoms of pre-term delivery, high blood pressure and placenta conditions. Bed rest may be prescribed for home or the hospital, and it could last for days or months. Wherever and however long you’re off your feet, here’s how to get through it.
CONSIDER THE EFFECTS ON YOUR MIND. Sure, an extended
rest sounds kind of nice. But bed rest can really do a number on a mom, even after a brief period. If you’re on bed rest, you’re probably already experiencing some anxiety. And then there’s depression. “For a lot of women, the stress of the pregnancy complication combined with relative isolation and lack of normal activities can affect their mental health,” explains Paula Miltenberger, Ph.D., founder of Women’s Mental Wellness and a psychologist who regularly provides therapy to patients on bed rest at Medical City Dallas. Moms are providers and caretakers by nature, so getting those roles taken away, to some extent, is hard. “Bed rest can be a huge burden on families. If patients are working, many times, they end up not having a job to go back to when they’ve taken that much time off,” explains Dr. Elizabeth StevensonGargiulo, who practices with Baylor Scott & White Park Lane OB/GYN Associates. She adds that bed rest can be an added weight on spouses taking care of the home and other kids. Miltenberger says the best mental health defense is a 14
baby | 2020
schedule. “Wake up at a normal time and plan out ways to spend your day,” says Miltenberger. “If you just lie there, that’s when the worry can really take over.” While your bed rest schedule may not be filled with your typical activities, you can use the time for things that you’ve always wished you could do: learn a new language, sort old photographs, take an online class. Miltenberger also recommends that women incorporate mindfulness. “Apps like Headspace and Calm can help you meditate and relax.” Normalcy is also helpful. There are mobile beauty services, and you may be able to complete some work from bed if your doctor approves. TV and movies are also a good way to pass time—but if you lie in bed all day, hitting “yes” each time Netflix asks if you’re still watching, you’ll probably end up feeling not so great. “The idea of a schedule is giving yourself structure, a sense of productivity and control—in a situation that is largely out of your control,” says Miltenberger. Many therapy practices offer tele-appointments. And if you’re worried about all the things that aren’t getting done
while you’re laid up, you have options. Relatives and friends are prime sources of support; there are also doulas and assistants who can handle everything from laundry to nursery decorating. CONSIDER THE EFFECTS ON YOUR BODY. Bed rest has
physical ramifications as well. Research shows that muscle deterioration begins within six hours of starting bed rest, according to Stevenson-Gargiulo. With prolonged bed rest, women can have massive muscle loss and experience difficulty walking after it’s over. When patients are in the hospital, a physical therapist will often come by and help them with appropriate exercises. For women at home, Stevenson-Gargiulo says muscle loss is typically not as much of an issue. That form of bed rest isn’t as strictly regulated, and women move around more than hospitalized patients. If you’re at home and truly not getting out of bed, you may consider a physical therapy consultation. StevensonGargiulo says your doctor may recommend blood thinners or compression devices that help prevent blood clots. KNOW THE FACTS. “We don’t know exactly what causes preterm labor. We don’t have any great medications to stop it,” says Stevenson-Gargiulo. “The reality is that even with bed rest, so much of what is going to happen is just going to happen.” The point? Try to be calm, talk to your doctor and seek support when you need it. ●
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getting through pregnancy on bed rest
