Bed Rest – One Woman’s Story

When I found out in February 2007 that I was having identical twin girls, I knew my pregnancy was high-risk. My pregnancy was monitored closely from the beginning, and in May my doctor recommended bed rest. Carrying twins is extremely hard on the body. Sometimes it’s hard to breathe, because the babies partially constrict the arteries that circulate oxygen-rich blood.

Most days, just taking a bath and walking to the couch wears me out. I have two instructions I must stick to: keep my legs up, and avoid physical activity. This is harder than it sounds – especially with my four-year-old running around. I can’t take my son to the park or watch his soccer games. However, we try to do fun things around the house, and he feels important when he helps Mommy

It’s difficult to stay inside all summer, and not go for walks (even after standing for a few minutes, I can feel the pressure on my cervix). My husband works a lot, so our lifestyle hasn’t been extremely affected by my restrictions. We are also supervising the building of our new home, which should be ready in December 2007 – just a few months after our babies arrive.

My mother and father provide excellent support. My mother helps me every day by doing things around the house, and Dad helps out with my son and takes me to doctor’s appointments. Although it’s hard to rely on other people for everything, I am grateful to my family for their help. It has made a huge difference in my bed rest experience.