Hospital Bedrest…How I survived.
At 31 weeks pregnant, my water broke during a nail appointment. I rushed home, gathered my family, and went to the hospital, where I received my sentence…bedrest, hospital bed rest.
The isolation hit hard after two days; I missed my daughter, my husband and had to cancel all our summer plans. This wasn't going to be easy but, I hope my writing this helps others in similar situations.
Remember, you’re not alone, and there’s a baby at the end of this. So first off, rally your support system; my parents live nearby and my husband received vacation time, allowing them to care for of our daughter. I was also in two local moms' groups, they organized a meal train, which was immensely helpful, and brought me snacks and some things to do in the hospital.
Next, my list of essentials to survive.
Ask for a fridge- if you don't already have one ask for one, some people need them for medication so they definitely have them available. This way you can stock it up with some good snacks to have on hand. I was very lucky our hospital has an incredible restaurant, so I wasn't eating your typical hospital food. If you aren’t as lucky no worries stock up that fridge. Here are some of the things I stocked mine with Greek yogurt, mixed berries, granola, hummus, small veggie tray, plantain chips, salsa, mixed nuts and lots and lots of chocolate.
Journal/Notebook -It really helped me. Writing down my thoughts felt good, and reflecting on my time here will be wild to look back on.
Books - obviously a great way to kill some time.
Self-care- This one is super important to me, have someone pick you up some face mask, essential oils (lavender is a must), water hydration sticks, (you'll get sick of water). Take a shower or a bath if you have one, style your hair and put make up on, anything to boost your mood will help.
Polaroid camera -I had recently purchased a Polaroid camera and I thought it be a funny to document this experience. I had my husband bring it to the hospital, it was fun to create little keepsakes and my daughter gets a kick out of it.
Stay comfy -This is a big one. Hospital beds are not known to be comfortable so bringing your own pillow, comfy blanket, slippers and PJs are very important. I laid a fuzzy blanket over the bed, then used another to sleep with. Comfy slippers for walking around and Cozy matching PJs helped me feel like I have my life together. Also, a few good pillows from home make a huge difference.
Sleep mask -A must have with all the monitors that are on all night. I also played white noise to drown out the sounds, worked like a charm.
Coloring books and puzzles -I love to color and it's a great way to keep you busy, also sudoku or crossword puzzles are great.
Have friends/family visit -It is a must to stay sane, have friends come to visit. Ask for a Starbucks, hospital coffee is horrible and some much-needed girl time. My husband would bring my daughter every morning and we would have breakfast together. Most nurses are amazing as well and would stay and talk for a bit.
I truly hope this helps you get through this hard time, and just know every day the baby stays in his less time if the NICU. You got this mama, try to enjoy all this you time.