Surviving bed rest
Mamas on Bedrest: What’s Your Wildest Bedrest Story???
April 5th, 2012Mamas on Bedrest, Share with us your wildest bedrest stories! We want to hear it all-the quirky, the zany, the inspirational, the rare or unique experience! Your stories help other mamas on bedrest know that what they are going through is “normal” (whatever that is) and often gives them hope when they are feeling hopeless and just the tool they need to make it one more day!
What’s in it for you?? How about a free book? Mamas on Bedrest & Beyond has the great fortune to receive many books for review. Sometimes, communications get garbled and we receive more than one copy. So while we may write in and put comments on one copy, there is often another copy sitting here in our offices.
So here’s the deal. Share you bedrest stories with us (and veteran mamas, we really want your stories, too!!). For the first 10 mamas who share their stories, we’ll gift you a book about pregnancy or newborn care, parenting or healthy living. Share your stories in the comments section below.
Mamas on Bedrest: Meet April’s Mama of the Month, Jennifer Breedlove
April 4th, 2012
I love hearing how mamas cope with bed rest. Each story, while strikingly similar is also uniquely different. Each mama finds a way to cope, stay strong and do what she must to “keep her little bun (s) in the oven.”
April’s Mama of the Month is Jennifer Breedlove. Jennifer is a mama of 4 and endured 11 weeks of bed rest while pregnant with her now 15 month old twin boys. Here is Jennifer’s story.
I was put on bed rest at 25 weeks for preterm labor with cervical shortening. I was hospitalized and got magnesium and sent home three days later. Four weeks afterward, I went back for a check up (I had been seen at two week check up, with no cervical changes) and I was dilated to 5 cm in preterm labor again! My first twin was breech so at 29 weeks, they kept me in the hospital for preterm labor and advanced cervical dilation. I stayed at 5 cm for the next seven weeks and ultimately got induced! My ob said he’d never seen anyone stay dilated for so long without complications. I was on bed rest with our twin boys for eleven weeks…56 of those days on hospital bed rest!
I had a goal each day and became a creature of habit. I am very active so I was shocked when I was put on bed rest! I immediately started a bed rest exercise program and when I became inpatient, a physical therapist designed a program for me that I would do every day (most times twice daily). Like most moms on bed rest, I felt alone, afraid for my babies and angry that my body was going into labor too soon. I Just prayed for each day to stay pregnant and at 36 weeks, I was induced and gave birth to two healthy boys! Praise God!
To mamas on bed rest I say stay positive, take help from whomever offers and have a daily goal. I got reacquainted on Facebook and looked forward to my two other children and husband to visit. Thankfully, my mom was able to visit me ever night and eventually, I got wheelchair privileges to get some fresh air. It’s been a rough year but we’re finally adjusted to our new life and I ran my first marathon within eight months after their birth to celebrate our health.
Andrew and Joseph were born on January 30, 2011. Drew was 5 lbs, 6oz. Joseph was 6 lbs, 2 oz. Perfect little men who walk now!
A Simple Stretch for Mamas on Bedrest
March 14th, 2012Every day I receive notes, e-mails and tweets from mamas who are on bed rest asking, “What can I do to keep my muscles toned and strong while on bed rest?” I highly recommend that mamas who really want to stay toned and strong purchase a copy of Bedrest Fitness. However, until they receive their copy of Bedrest Fitness, here is a simple stretch series that mamas can do to begin preserving their muscle strength and tone. It is simple enough that all mamas on bed rest can do it; from mamas on restricted activity (house arrest), to mamas on strict bed rest. All you need is an exercise band (one is included with the Bedrest Fitness DVD) and some comfortable pillows.
(Note: in this video, you’ll notice that my head is raised. This is NOT how you, a mama on bedrest, should do these exercises. I was speaking into the camera and giving directions and needed the microphone to pick up my voice. Please, please, please, mamas, sink back into the pillows!!!)
