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5 Reasons Why Bed Rest Is Very Important During Pregnancy
It is my second prenatal check-up and I’m roughly at my twelfth week of pregnancy when the ultrasound revealed that I am carrying twins. “I suggest that you should be extra cautious with this pregnancy by compelling yourself to bed rest starting at 7 months”, my obstetrician said. She explained that I must be on bed rest due to the fact that twin pregnancies have a high risk for premature labor, and the individuals whowill undergo the consequences the most are my unborn infants.
To be honest, my obstetrician’s prescription to stay in bed was not a welcome change from my usual routine.In reality, I even planned to get back to work a few months after my wedding and swore that even if I get pregnant, I will still carry on to work and earn a living no matter what. But this time, I guess I’m left with no other choice but to make sure my little ones will be okay.
Your health care provider understands how difficult bed rest is, but I bet she won’t put you on that if it were not for the advantages bed rest can do for you and for your little one. Here are the good reasons why bed rest is important.
1. Bed rest decreases pressure on the cervix
When you lie on your side, the weight of your abdomen will rest on the bed putting less pressure to the lower portion of the uterus (cervix). This is particularly beneficial in instances of incompetent cervix. Incompetent cervix is an obstetrical condition wherein the mother has painless cervical dilatation in the 2nd or early 3rd trimester, followed with prolapse and rupture of membranes and unfortunately expulsion of the immature fetus.
2. Bed rest will increase blood circulation to the child
When you are at rest, your body could only be using minimum energy from the nutrients carried by blood vessels. Hence, much of these nutrients can be redirected to the fetal circulation. Assuming a left lateral recumbent position can additionally stop the major blood vessels supplying the fetus from getting impinged by the weight of the uterus, therefore increasing blood flow and enhancing the supply of nutrients to the child.
3. Bed rest decreases the chance of vaginal bleeding
Vaginal bleeding normally happens when the placenta is implanted low at the cervical opening (known as placenta previa). Women with placenta previa can benefit most with complete bed rest for the reason that bed rest could defy the forces of gravity, placing really small pressure on the placenta, thus preventing placental blood vessels from getting severed.
4. Bed rest may help stop preterm contractions
This is a widely recognized fact; though very little details are obtainable which clarifies how bed rest helps stop contractions. It might be which through bed rest, external stimulation to the belly is avoided, which eventually aids in stopping preterm contractions.
5. Bed rest maximizes oxygen supply to the child especially in cases of twin or other multiples.
When you are rested, it is expected that your body oxygen demand is small. That is great simply because it will prefer transport of oxygen to the area where it is most required—the growing child. Oxygen requirement is appreciably increased in twin or other multiples of pregnancy. Thus, bed rest is highly indicated.
Bed rest can absolutely be tough, particularly for women who used to be on-the-go. But like any other challenges that come our way, a great rationalization and simple knowledge of the need of having to do something, in this situation-to do bed rest, aids a lot to push us through and beat the odds. After all, each and every day of bed rest brings us closer to the day with our infant in our arms.
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