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Bed Rest Survival Guide

Here are 10 bed rest survival strategies to help see you through:

1. Plan your space and surround yourself with your laptop, phone, address book, TV remote, journal and a cooler for cold drinks and snacks. “You need a comfortable space where everything is handy,” says Lucas.

2. Add structure to your day. Plan each day so you have things to accomplish, such as paying bills or shopping for the baby online. It’s also important to make day and night routines different, says Lucas. Have a different pillow during the day, open the curtains, have a shower or bed bath and change out of your pajamas.

3. Prep for your baby’s arrival. Plan your nursery, register for baby showers, find a pediatrician and, if you can’t get out, shop for baby gear online.

4. Accept all the help you can. Don’t say “no” when people offer to help out. And realize you may have to relax your standards a bit when it comes to household chores.

5. Bond with your baby. Take the time to connect with your baby by reading stories  out loud, or playing music.

6. Find a hobby. Try knitting, journaling, scrapbooking, online crosswords–anything to keep you engaged and interested.

7. Create time for intimacy with your partner. “Spend time cuddling, or have a date night every week with movies and popcorn so you have something to look forward to,” says Lucas.

8. Stay connected by networking with friends, joining online support groups, or taking an online class.

9. Get your doctor’s okay to do gentle exercises in bed, such as leg lifts, to keep your blood flowing.

10. Take it one day at a time and celebrate the end of each week, says Lucas. “Just know that every day inside makes a huge difference to your baby’s start in life.”

Meet our expert:

Barbara Lucas is a perinatal social worker at BC Women’s Hospital in Vancouver.