Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Bed-Rest with a Toddler?!?!


When you are put on bed-rest during a pregnancy with a second or third child, how in the world do you take it “easy” with a toddler running around the house? While extremely hard, believe it or not, there are some ways to stay rested while caring for a small child at home. Here are some tips to help you do just that!

- Enlist help! Ask friends, family, and anyone else you know to come over to help you during this time that your body and your baby needs you to be resting. Your family and friends can help you with light house cleaning or entertaining your little one.

- Try not to feel guilty about “neglecting” your child. You owe it to your unborn baby to rest and get better. The time you spend on bed-rest is a small portion in the lifetime of your child and soon enough, you’ll be back on the floor, doing puzzles and playing grocery store with your little one again!
- Make your bedroom into a big playroom! Bring toys and anything else to entertain your little one so he or she can play while you are taking it easy on the bed.

- If it doesn’t work to have your child play in your bedroom, make a comfortable spot in your family room or playroom so your child can play while you rest on the couch.

- Whatever room you choose as your “home base,” stock it with juice and snacks that your child can get themselves. That will eliminate trips to the kitchen.

- Keep a roll of paper towels next to your resting area, as spills will inevitably happen.

- Send a family member to the Dollar Store to get small toys, coloring books, arts and crafts, stickers, and anything else that your child will find fun! Have a box of these items readily available in the room you will be resting in.

- Have your remote nearby. Although watching a lot of television is not something you might normally do, reserving special shows or movies for when you really need to rest will come in handy during this difficult time.

- Have a basket of books nearby that you can read with your child. This is something you can do while resting that you’ll both love.

- Set up a diaper changing station near where you will be resting. Make sure your spouse stocks the station each day with enough wipes, diapers and ointment to get you through the day.
We wish you the best of luck during this difficult time!

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