What is bed rest?

After a Facebook exchange with a friend, I got to thinking that perhaps this would be a good question to address in my blog. Having posted about spending some time in the pool, said friend asked a perfectly innocent question about the rules of bed rest and swimming. Of course after my last week with the now infamous buttinsky, I may have been feeling a bit sensitive and may have gone on the defensive. (Sorry friend!) After our exchange it occurred to me that said friend (and anyone else for that matter) doesn't have any reason to know what is and isn't allowed. So I decided to address it here. Of course, I am not a doctor and everything I am about to write comes strictly from my own experience and from what I've read on various online bed rest communities. Take everything I say with a grain of salt.

What is bed rest? What is and isn't allowed? As far as I can tell there are three different forms of bed rest (there may be more). The first seems like the worst kind, strict hospital bed rest. Having never experienced if myself I can only give you a small picture of what it is like and may actually be completely wrong, feel free to correct me if I am. From what I understand the lucky individual on strict hospital bed rest lives in the hospital and is either not allowed out of bed at all (think bedpans and sponge baths) or is allowed out sparingly with the help of nurses. They are allowed out for the bathroom and maybe a shower once or twice a week. Sounds like fun, no?

Next we have the close relative of strict hospital bed rest, strict at-home bed rest. The lucky strict bed resters have slightly varying degrees of restrictions, but for the most part are required to remain flat, on their left side, for 90% of the day. They are allowed to get up for the bathroom and a shower 1-3 times a week. Food and water need to be brought to them and they are not supposed to sit up. The point being to take the pressure off of the cervix and in some ways counteract gravity. If these lucky individuals live in a two-story home many of them will not be allowed to climb the stairs meaning they will either live in their bed upstairs or on their couch downstairs.

Finally we have my category, modified bed rest. This kind of bed rest seems to have the most variations. I strongly suspect that the restrictions you are given depends not only on your particular issues, but on the doctor placing you on bed rest. I have seen people on modified bed rest with a wide variety of restrictions. These range from "stay reclined/seated most of the day and try to only get up for food, water, bathroom and the occasional/daily shower" to "try to stay off your feet and relax for at least four hours a day." I envy the latter group as I fall a little closer to the "sit all day" end of the spectrum.

Now that you have a general picture of the types of bed rest out there I will tell you a little about what my particular restrictions are. Over the last 7-8 weeks things have changed a little. In the beginning, when I was contracting every 2-4 minutes and was 50% effaced I was pretty much stuck on the couch all day. I got up for the bathroom and the occasional snack, but that was it. After several weeks my cervix returned to normal and the contractions, although still very frequent, were not quite as regular. Now I spend most of my days sitting in my recliner, but have been encouraged by the doctor to engage in very light activities at least a few times a week. Getting up and moving around helps to promote blood circulation and prevent blood clots in the legs. Because of this I get to do small activities here and there, like loading the dishwasher (how thrilling!), making dinner, walking to the mailbox, driving myself to doctor's appointments, running a quick errand and even floating around in the pool (floating only, no swimming!). Although I am allowed to certain activities there are definite no-no's; lifting heavy objects, running, jumping and the best part... I'm on pelvic rest. If the words "pelvic rest" aren't self-explanatory well then too bad, you can just google it because I'm not explaining it.

Seems like a lot right? Don't worry, I never do all of these things in one day. Depending on the level of the activity I may only do one or two of those things and then I sit right back down on my bed rest throne. I am also charged with the responsibility of listening to my own body. If at any time any of those activities begin to wear me out or in any way increase my contractions I have to stop what I am doing and rest. At this point I'm pretty good and telling what will and won't work for me. For instance, frequently loading the dishwasher is just too much for my poor little bed ridden body to take. The pool however is a completely different story. ;)