22 weeks, bed rest... advice?

[2020wish]

Just really that. Bed rest is hard... I’m usually a bit OCD with cleaning. Like to visit family (bubble) and full time work as a nurse And raise my daughter. Now I’m just bored, fed up in bed with nothing but My little man kicking me from the inside to keep me company.

I’ve had 3 miscarriages so I’m so thankful I’ve got him in there saying hi.

Anyone else? Any advice on how to pass the time? Netflix is watched out, Disney + ain’t all that great. I’m actually getting sore heads from watching tv/ reading books and I’m only on day 4.
Family and friends texting each day asking how I am and I don’t even know how to respond cause I feel guilty replying that I’m bored when I’m ever so thankful all is well and my little rainbow is still as active as ever

Can you get some 'crafts' to do in bed? A few friends took up knitting from YouTube this Lockdown and it's going quite well.
Maybe puzzles / writing Christmas cards?
I've always been a bit lazy with memory boxes and printing pictures etc - maybe get a few family albums out together.
All4 is also a great source of free box sets - I'm currently binging ER and loving it.

Also on bedrest here due to short cervix issues since 20 weeks (now 25+2)!

It can be so difficult, especially the wanting to nest/clean/go out/ be a normal person!!

One hugeeeee thing that has helped with preventing headaches is drinking 3L strictly each day - super difficult at first but gets easier.

I'm also planning on writing a pregnancy journal and bought some interesting bits and bobs to stick in it to give me more motivation to actually start it.

Do you know how long you're on bedrest for?

Get a tray and do a jigsaw?

Also, don't feel guilty! It really is deceptively difficult to be stuck in bed constantly, I've had a couple moments of feeling utterly useless despite knowing its all for the little one inside and worth it in the end

We've also moved a bed into the living room so at least I can be around downstairs during the day. Due to lockdown we haven't had anyone over so it luckily we can fit it in the room :) Our sofas are too small to properly lie on!

Thanks for all the replies. No I’m unsure how long atm. Midwifes just advised me to come off my feet for a bit and rest, no working etc due to my history of losses and the fact that I work in a very busy environment on my feet all day and took pains, spotting and what they believe is my mucus plug coming away. I know it can regenerate so I guess until then but for rest of pregnancy take it easier and relax and listen to my body. They said it could be a warning or nothing at all but it’s better not taking the risk with my history. I’ve no more pains or loss of plug bar that one time in work and baby is kicking away. I just have the awful fear of losing this little one and being 22 weeks so not being helped if he decides to come early. My partner is trying his best to help but he works full time and men just don’t clean like women and I feel like I’m starting to nag him asking him can he please do a wash etc Hoover. He’s not complaining at all but I think it’s just cause I’m not in control and can’t just get up and pull the Hoover out.

Aww OP I completely feel you.. just take it day by day and do your best to try to ease up on yourself and the feeling of needing to be in control (bloody difficult, was for me!)

Side note.. have they offered you progesterone pessaries to take at all? To try to prevent premature labour/contractions? If not, it may be worth looking into/asking midwife about.

@cervixissues no they haven’t offered me anything :( going to maybe ring my GP today and talk to her as I need a sick line to cover my time off anyway.

@2020wish did they check ur cervix ? I would also say ask for progesterone. I have incompetent cervix so have stitch and take progesterone, and due to being a theatre nurse am off work (20 week) at the min may have to go back for a couple of weeks before x mass but only doing admin, will then be off from 24 weeks until birth. I have been on moderate bed rest, still tryin to move about a wee bit so a bit of house work and cooking, and try going for a walk 30 mins 3 times a week but mostly sat on sofa with legs up. I would say try and get up a little bit and get some ted stockings if ur on complete bed rest as have a high risk of dvt, try and listen to ur body and do what u feel u can.

Also if u are crafty, take up knitting or crochet, great charity call octopus for a premmie uk that make wee octopus for nicu babys
www.facebook.com/octopusforapreemie/

Good plan @2020wish , do push them a bit if they are dismissive.

Agree with @88bowie that if they haven't already, to check how your Cervix is holding up.

Don't mean to derail the thread or anything but @88bowie my cervix was measuring at 15mm and had to have an emergency stitch put in at 20 weeks too, but been told I can't really go for walks/stand for long etc. Just wondering if the extent of bedrest is based on how thin the cervix was measuring? Also I'm totally aware that there's so much debate on whether bedrest actually helps or not but am sticking to the advice

Wishing everyone all the best that babies stay put long as possible! x

@cervixissues u will find that every consultant has different advice so just have to go with that they suggest and what u feel ur body can do. It's all about weighing up the risks and doing what's right for u. I had my last baby at 28 weeks as I don't know I has ic so this time I got checked very early on 10 weeks then can a preventive stitch at 13 weeks x I've found the support and advise from incompetent cervix uk pregnancy related fb group really helpfully so many lady's going though or gone through ic

www.facebook.com/groups/768976246851000/?ref=share

@88bowie thank you! It does seem preventative stitches are allowed a little bit more freedom from what I've read!

@88bowie thank you for the helpful advice, they haven’t checked it as my first pregnancy I was way over due and the 3 losses in between where due to other reasons so they have just said although rare, it still happens when over doing it and like urself I’m a nurse so non stop. I have DVT stockings so I have them on already thankfully. I will def ring back and ask to be checked tho.

Thank you for the link I will check it out.

Can I ask what was ur reasons for realising u both had an incompetent cervix in the first place?

@2020wish I had my first son at 28+1 no contractions no pain no waters breaks only a a small bit of blood ( that happened on a flight to Italy) got off flight went to hospital 5cm dilated with scan protruding, very quick labour 4-5 hrs for gettin to hospital to him bein born. So after researching ic I knew it was that, so this time I made them see me in pre term clinic and they checked cervix at 10+5 weeks and was 2.6cm normal lady's should 4-6cm so had stitch placed and on progesterone and moderate bed rest which is doing the job as cervix has gone up and holding well at the min xx

At my 20 week scan while we waited for baby to turn the sonographer decided to check my cervix (not routine to do this). Lucky she did as she found it was thinning, (well below the minimum) and opening a bit with the amniotic sac starting to bulge through. I got sent straight to the maternity triage and given progesterone and strict bedrest, they performed an emergency cerclage (cervical stitch which will be removed at 36/37 weeks if I make it that far!)

I had no signs of anything being wrong, so I was just so so thankful the sonographer decided to have a look!!

I had a missed miscarriage earlier this year with medical management (not surgery) and that was unrelated to this. When I was being examined for incompetent cervix I was asked a few times if I had surgical management for the miscarriage as a small risk can be that it impacts the cervix. So in my case it is just completely random!

@2020wish u tend to find it with lady's that have had surgery on their cervix like Letez, or previous difficult c sections, people like me just born with it, lady's don't tend to get investigated sadly until they have had Pre term births / a few late -mid losses / prom