Pregnancy is exhausting! Especially if you already have an energetic little toddler who demands your constant attention. If you are sentenced to bed rest while you’re responsible for a little one, it may seem like an impossible task. Without lots of help and creativity, it might be.
I spent a total of eleven weeks on bed rest during my twin pregnancy. I spent nine of those weeks in the hospital, but I still had two weeks at home alone with my not yet two-year-old. It was a stressful time, but I learned a lot, and I am happy to share my tips with you!
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How to keep your child occupied
The first question on my mind when I was prescribed bed rest was, “How in the world do I keep my crazy, busy toddler occupied and out of trouble?” I still have to chase my little boy constantly, so it took a lot of work to present novel and engaging activities for him. Honestly, we did not always succeed; he got in trouble several times for running through the halls of the hospital. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Color and draw
Fine motor activities for your child are going to be your best friend while you’re on bed rest. I was on bed rest in the fall, so my little boy asked me to draw a pumpkin with glasses for him over and over again.
P.S. Crayola Color Wonder markers are the best for toddlers! They actually only draw on their magic paper.
Read
Reading with kids is always a great activity. You can have your little one bring you book after book to read, keeping him engaged while you stay resting.
Puzzles
My son is so into jigsaw puzzles right now! I love watching his gears spin as he figures out how to fit the pieces together. Melissa and Doug puzzles are my very favorite, partly because my babies can chew on the wood pieces, but dollar store puzzles are great too.
Flashcards
Your time on bed rest is an excellent time to teach your child new things. We got these flash cards that my toddler loves! You can teach first words and letters to younger kids or phonics and sight words to older ones. Whatever you choose to do, quality focused time with you will be so valuable for your little one before a new sibling arrives.
When all else fails, watch shows on Netflix.
It is entirely okay to take a break and let your kid watch a show. There are some good ones out there. We like Super Why, Daniel Tiger, and Octonauts.
How to eat well
My first week of bed rest after surgery I wasn’t supposed to prepare any meals or be on my feet at all, but I was feeling pretty good, and my little boy and I hadn’t had lunch yet. I just made some Kraft Mac’n’Cheese. It was super easy, and I only had to be on my feet for a minute. That night, my water broke around one of the twins, and I spent the remainder of my pregnancy in the hospital. I was 23 weeks along, and I spent ten more weeks in the hospital. Although doctors confirmed that my making Mac’n’Cheese did not cause the rupture of membranes, I still feel a little guilty.
It is so hard to feed yourself when you are home alone on bed rest! This is an area where others will have to help you, but there are some ways that you can lighten that load. My favorite way is to have make-ahead freezer meals on hand. It only takes a second to drop a meal in the slow cooker or the Instant Pot, and then you have a nutritious dinner! If you need some recipes, here are eight freezer meals for you to try.
Related:
Ask for help
We were blessed with angelic family members, friends, and neighbors who took our son into their homes, brought us meals, and cleaned our house. We received so much service (and still get help sometimes) that I don’t think we can ever pay back the incredible people who were there for us. I plan on doing all I can to pay forward this service throughout my life.
If you find yourself on bed rest, feel free to contact me if you need support or just want to talk with someone who has been there. Good luck with your journey!
I have one child now, she just turned 1 last week. I was on bed rest the last week of my pregnancy with her and I’m scared that’ll happen again even earlier in the pregnancy if we have another! I can’t imagine how I could possibly handle being a mom to a toddler while on bed rest! Good tips, though.
Thanks, Desteny. I have had a lot of fears like that too! I can’t say it’s easy to handle being on bed rest with a toddler, but it’s definitely possible!
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