Is Bedrest really Useful?

The one thing I can't stand in this world is bedrest. And I have been getting alot of bed rest ever since the pregnancy started. Initially it was like full of scares during the first three months, then during the second trimester all was peaceful. Now, with the third trimester; I am once again confined to the bed as my lower back is killing me with the pain.

Everytime I hear that I have to do bedrest, my heart literally drops. It drops when I first heard of maternity leave but at least I can move about and be active. With bedrest, I am stuck at home to the bed or else the chair. Needless to say, I get crazy easily. I need to get moving. I am not one of those who can face the walls and think of nothing. Seriously, I am not kidding when I say my favourite way of doing bedrest is someone to knock me out when wake me up when the period is over.

Out of boredom, I actually decided to do a google search on bedrest. And wow, am I glad I am not alone in my thoughts on this issue on bedrest. According to this article, it seems that 70% of pregnancy women would need bedrest at one point or another so that one will have a healthy baby (and I was so embarrassed when I was given bedrest as that means I have to miss my work!). It is supposed to prevent certain issues that can come along with pregnancy such as preterm labour, pre-eclampsia and placenta previa.

Interestingly, this article also stated that bed rest has not been scientifically proven to be beneficial; women on prolonged bed rest can suffer from  "backaches, hip and muscle pain, headaches, muscle loss, and depression". I hate to say this but am I glad I am not the only one who gets depressed with bedrest! A study even found that women on prolonged bed rest also were at higher risk to give birth to pre-term babies because they ate and moved much lesser than others!

Needless to say, my favourite part of the article was "How to stay Sane during Bedrest." Here are some tips provided:

• Reach out. Keep the phone by your side, and let family and friends know they need to be available for conversations. Having someone to listen to you vent (or whine or worry or giggle) can really help. Stay connected with your friends and family through e-mail as well. And don’t forget to visit our Message Boards, where you’ll meet other moms-to-be in the exact same shoes (or slippers). 

I only whine to my close ones. I don't think I am going to call and bother other people about my bed rest all day... cause once I start, I don't think I can stop. Also, I don't think people actually appreciate mothers-to-be calling them to whine when they are swamped with work themselves.

• Be prepared. Anticipate what you’re going to need each day, and ask your partner to gather it together for you before he leaves in the morning. Stock a mini-fridge or cooler with lots of water, fruit, yogurt, cheese, and sandwiches. Be sure the phone, magazines, books, and TV remote are all within arm’s reach.

Currently, my husband has been doing a great job at this. He really made sure that the refrigerator is stocked but I only feel like a pig as each day passes.

• Structure the day. Try to establish a routine — even if the highlight is a soak in a tepid tub followed by a nap, or a morning on the couch followed by an afternoon in bed. You’ll feel a little better if you give the day some sort of structure. (And it’s perfectly okay if your routine involves multiple viewings of A Baby Story on cable.) 

I am not sure what my routine is if it is practically the same thing over and over again. I just find myself wishing to wake up later and later each day so that the day will pass quickly.

• Work from home. If you’re on modified bed rest and work in a fully "wired" field, it may be possible to work from home for all or part of the time you are on bed rest. Between conference calls and e-mails, you can be very productive as a gestating telecommuter. Speak to both your practitioner and your supervisor to be sure everyone is on the same page about what your capabilities and your limits are. 

I love to be doing this but I have to be present in school for certain things. Furthermore, now it's the hols so I guess I can relax and concentrate on what to prepare when the little one appears.

• Surf the web. Use this time to shop and prepare for your baby on the Web. Register for your layette online, do your grocery shopping, order your crib, or find your future doula, lactation consultant, and babysitter. You’ll have a lot less time for this kind of thing once the baby is born.

I realised that I am hooked on online shopping. This does not bode well for my husband (who gets a shock at seeing packages delivered to the house) and my pocket.

• Watch movies. Rent videos or DVDs (because once baby makes three — or more — there won’t be much time in your schedule for movies).

Let me think of what movies that I want to watch. I don't really have a habit of watching movies unless they are strongly recommended.

• Sit pretty. Do the things that make you feel good each day. Brush your hair, put on makeup, slather your tummy in yummy-smelling lotion. You can also look into having your hairstylist or manicurist make a house call. (Drop the hint to your friends that this would make a great shower gift.)

By doing this, I am just yearning for someone to just knock me out and wake me up when the delivery is over.

• Start a journal. Now’s a wonderful  time to begin recording your thoughts or writing a few letters to your baby that he or she can share with you in years to come.

I guess this is seriously where my blog actually comes in. Some sort of distraction before I go crazy.

• Keep your eyes on the prize. Frame one of your ultrasound pictures and know that you are simply starting the parenting process a little earlier than most, doing what’s best for your child even if it’s a hardship for you. Remind yourself that every day you stay in bed is one more day your baby (or babies) stay inside you, giving him or her (or them) the best chance at being born healthy and strong.

Believe me. I'm trying. Every single day.

But seriously, how did bed rest come about? As quoted from this article, the bed rest treatment started from this guy here:

"Rest was first proposed as a treatment by John Hunter (1728-1793), a Scottish surgeon, in his study on wounds and inflammation. He believed that the first and most important requisite for restoration of inflamed, injured parts is rest, as rest is necessary for repairing injured parts. This proposed idea of rest as a treatment was further amplified by John Hilton (1804-1878), a British surgeon, in his 1862 series of lectures on "Rest and Pain" to the Royal College of Surgeons. He claimed that it is the natural treatment for the inflammation of injury and wounds.

Their theory of injury leading to an inflammatory response that requires rest to heal the body had a huge influence throughout the field of medicine even though their works revolves around only on inflammation and wounds. Physicians all over the world started to use rest as a treatment for a wide range of conditions, from myocardial infarction to normal childbirth."
And the most interesting part is that the article was entitled "Bed Rest no Longer an Option for Back Pain"... which kind of makes me wonder of what am I doing here. Oh well, as this is advice from my gynaecologist, I guess I will just adhere to it to be on the safe side so as to ensure a smooth pregnancy and a healthy little one.

But I am still waiting for someone to knock me out and speed up the time to pass by quickly.