Okay so maybe that’s exaggerating a little. But even though I wanted my baby boy here safe and sound, it was still torturous to sit around on my butt for weeks! Although now I’m wishing I could go back in time….I don’t know what boredom is anymore! 😉 So here are my top 5 tips for surviving bed rest (***as long as they’re cleared by your physician!***):

1. Set up a routine for yourself. Get up at your usual time. Don’t sleep the day away. IF IT’S MEDICALLY OKAY, get up, shower, do your hair/makeup, fix breakfast. I was on modified bed rest, so I was allowed these “luxuries.” This will also make the days do by quicker.

2. Get a change of scenery. Don’t sit in bed all day. If you’re allowed, move to to a chair by the window, the couch, outside, whatever!

3. Connect with people. This is the time to invite your girlfriend over for some coffee or lunch, or set up a Skype date with someone far away you haven’t seen in a while. And if family or a close friend is coming to visit you, it can’t hurt to ask them to run a quick errand for you on the way, or to clean a designated area! They will most likely offer before you even have to ask! Also, join an online forum with other moms on bed rest. Having a support system of women who understand what you’re going through can be monumental.

4. Keep an ultrasound photo close by. This helps remind you what you’re fighting for. I had more ultrasound photos than I knew what to do with (I had ultrasounds weekly!, so I would always keep the most recent one nearby.

5. Utilize online services. Amazon Prime can basically have anything to your door in 2 days, and online grocery delivery services are popping up everywhere. The delivery cost is minimal, and so is your guilt of asking people to run errands for you!

6. Take advantage of the free time. Did you ever want to learn how to crochet, knit, master some cooking skills, or maybe start a blog? Now is the time! The internet is chock full of information and YouTube videos. Have at it! Soon your hands will be filled with that little baby, and you won’t have as much free time as you do now! (<--- I know that's so cliche to day, buuuuuut it's the truth!) Now I will add that I have no idea what I will do if I'm put on bed rest with my next pregnancy. It will not be so easy to keep still while having a toddler to chase around! :/ Were you placed on bed rest during your pregnancy? Do you have any tips you can add to these? 🙂