Best Way to Make Your Space Comfortable during Bed Rest

Even if you’re not on bed rest, but you’re told you need to decrease your workload and get more rest, it’s important to arrange your home to decrease your activity level. You want to find a place or several places where you can rest even if they require that your partner to do minor rearranging of furniture or cleaning to prepare these areas for you. Even for bed rest, you do not necessarily need to be in bed, in the bedroom, the entire time, which can be very boring and isolating. Try-setting up two areas, one in the bedroom for sleeping and alone time, and another in a communal area where the rest of the family can visit with you and help you feel you are in touch with the world.

Here are some suggestions to make your space comfortable:

•  Place your main rest area near a window, to take advantage of natural light. This will keep you from getting claustrophobic and the light will help improve your mood.

•  Have a portable reading light that can move with you.
•  Have your main resting area near a bathroom.
•  Get pillows and more pillows. A bed quickly becomes unbear-able if there’s no way to alter its contours. There are specially made pillows designed for bed resters, but any assortment of pillows—hard, soft, small, big, or long pillow rolls—will help create new positions. You may also want to put an egg crate mat’ tress pad on the sofa or bed to soften the surface without losing firmness.
•  Have a portable telephone or cell phone and important phone numbers easily accessible, including the telephone book. Remem­ber that although cordless phones and cell phones are conven­ient, they do need to be recharged. Choose a place where cradle and handset can be within easy reach.
•  Keep nearby a backpack filled with your personal address book, watch, date book, writing pads, pens, and a portable writing sur­face like a clipboard with a pen tied to it or a lap-pad, that is a flat board with a squishy pillow attached to the underside. These will help you to write in a prone position. If you have a pen attached to the writing surface, you won’t need to get up if your last pen rolls off the bedside table and under the bed. The backpack will be help­ful to transport items when you need to move to another room.
•  Keep your pregnancy notebook, and other reference books in arm’s reach. Write down questions for your doctor and anything you think might be important information.
•  Keep with you a journal to write down what’s happening to you and your pregnancy and your feelings about it. You may also want to write about the events of each day, such as visits from friends. Many mental health professionals say people handle their situa­tions better if they can document their thoughts in a journal. This journal will be a record of your extraordinary efforts on behalf of your baby.
•  Having books, magazines, catalogs, your hobby (like needlework) or an activity for the day, radio or tape player, calendar, clock, and even a laptop computer will probably fill more than your bed­side table. Laundry baskets or sturdy shopping bags are helpful for sorting supplies and can be easily moved when needed. Do not lift them yourself if they are heavy.
•  Have a TV, radio, electronic video games, DVD player, or VCR nearby to help keep you up to date on news and offer some enter­tainment. Have healthy snacks and plenty of water within your reach, without having to get out of bed. If you’re going to be alone all day, a cooler filled with complete meals should also be placed near your area.
•  Rent or buy a table like they have in hospitals, which extends over the bed, forming a surface for writing, eating, and other activities that need a flat, firm surface. These tables are usually on wheels. Any kind of rolling table is helpful because it can be moved easily and you can push it aside when it’s not needed. Some experienced bed resters use a sturdy ironing board or light computer table.
•  Have a basket of toys, puzzles, or books that you can share with your children. Allow them some personal time in bed with you for cuddling and visiting.
•  You may also find a “grabber” or “snatcher” helpful. By squeezing the handle, this sticklike device can retrieve smaller objects that are out of arm’s reach.

•  Keep your medications, in a plastic bag with a small note pad to keep track of when you last took any medications and when they need to be refilled.
•  Put old sheets on your bed and couch. They’re usually softer and comfortable, and you won’t mind if they get soiled or stained.
•  Keep your lotions, lip balm, hairbrush, mirror, and makeup nearby, in case someone surprises you with a visit. You may feel better knowing you can fix your appearance quickly and easily.
•  Tape emergency or important phone numbers on the phone or on your table. Include in this list your doctor/midwife’s office, the hospital, your partner’s number, the day care/babysitter, and a reliable friend or neighbor’s contact information.