When I was pregnant with my first son, I read every pregnancy book and magazine I could get my mitts on. One of the first topics that really caught my eye was “bed rest.” 
The article was about “surviving” bed rest. I laughed. As a married woman with a full-time, high-stress job, I thought, “What are they whining about? Lazing around 24 hours a day sounds like heaven on Earth, not some sort of battle to be won.”
And then it happened. I was at a routine check-up and my blood pressure was high. Very high. The doctor said I had pregnancy-induced hypertension, otherwise known as preeclampsia. My prescription? Bed rest for the duration of my pregnancy. I was only 26 weeks along.
At first, I thought, “14 weeks of stress-free relaxation? Thanks, Doc, don’t mind if I do.”
The first day was fantastic. I spent the day lying in bed, watching TV and reading more pregnancy tips. It was fantastic.
Day two was shockingly similar to day one. Halfway through day three, it hit me. This was going to suck. All of the sudden, my vacation mindset switched to a horrific realization that I was looking at 14 weeks of boredom and loneliness. Epic bummer.
It became abundantly clear that I couldn’t keep up the TV and magazine routine for the rest of my pregnancy, so it was time to get creative.
Here’s a handful of ideas that I came up with to stay busy while I was serving hard time:
Shopping online: One of the most fun pregnancy perks is the shopping. Before I was Bed Rest Betty, I spent hours cruising local stores looking for the best deals on must-have baby items. The beauty part of modern technology is that with a laptop, a shopaholic can continue looking from the comfort of her queen-sized. It’s also great, because you can compare prices at a wider variety of shops and email your ideas to your unsuspecting wallet, err, I mean significant other.
Scrapbooking: If you’re like this girl, you probably have a box or five of photos that you haven’t had the chance to put into albums or scrapbooks. Carpe diem. You’ve got all the time in the world now. Take advantage of it.
Pampering parties: Invite your lady-friends over for a weekly get-together. Each week have a different theme (facials, pedicures, manicures, etc.). When the girls come over, take turns giving each other the beauty treatment of the week.
Make important lists: You probably have a ton of preparations yet to make. Jot down lists for your partner (and whoever else may offer to help out), so he knows exactly what needs to be done. Some lists to consider writing: what to pack for your hospital stay, who needs to be called when the baby arrives, what items you still need for the baby, plants and pets that will need care while you’re at the hospital, etc.
Download music: Make some play lists on your MP3 player for different occasions. Make a calming play list for labor, fun songs for play time when the baby comes, and soothing favorites for naptime relaxation.
Bed rest isn’t as bad as it may seem once you find interesting ways to occupy your time. Keep in mind that this is for the better health of your baby and you, and you’ll make it through. The reward is a cuddly little cutie that will make your life more incredible than you could ever imagine.
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