Most pregnant women enjoy busy schedules and the ability to move about freely. It can seem devastating when a physician prescribes bed rest for days, weeks or even months at a time. Unfortunately, not every pregnancy is uneventful. Many women are put on bed rest, especially with the current rise in complex pregnancies involving twins and higher-order multiples.

We asked women who have been stuck in bed what they wish someone had told them prior to going on bed rest. Let these women save you from bed rest pitfalls and assist you with their helpful tips.

"Bed rest isn't easy! Especially for a busy mom with small children. The key to successful bed rest is preparation! Arrange for extra help, above all else. Bed rest means just that: no getting out of bed to show somebody how to do something, or to oversee a project, or even for yourself until the physician gives the all clear! In the hospital, bed rest patients do not get out of bed to go to the bathroom. That's what bedpans were invented for, and the nurse gets it for you, you don't get it yourself. Arrange for help!"
Shirley Sunderland, LPN, Altoona, Pa.

"I wish someone could have convinced me that a messy house wasn't something to get upset about, that my little baby wouldn't mind one bit (or even notice!) if his nursery walls weren't yet painted upon his arrival, and that the time spent as a forced lady of leisure would be riddled with emotion – and that's A-OK."
Alisa Ikeda, Marin County, Calif.

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