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How to Make Bed Rest Bearable

Bed rest. Two words that every woman fears hearing during pregnancy. Yet therapeutic positioning, the medical term for bed rest, is surprisingly common: Roughly one in five women spends part of her pregnancy in bed. It's considered a "treatment" for a host of pregnancy-related issues. Those who experience bleeding, or are in danger of miscarrying or delivering too early, or who have pre-eclampsia, an incompetent cervix, premature ruptures of membranes, or chronic heart disease, are often required to stay in bed (or on a sofa) for days, weeks, or even months during pregnancy.

By Dana Sullivan

Bed rest. Two words that every woman fears hearing during pregnancy. Yet therapeutic positioning, the medical term for bed rest, is surprisingly common: Roughly one in five women spends part of her pregnancy in bed. It's considered a "treatment" for a host of pregnancy-related issues. Those who experience bleeding, or are in danger of miscarrying or delivering too early, or who have pre-eclampsia, an incompetent cervix, premature ruptures of membranes, or chronic heart disease, are often required to stay in bed (or on a sofa) for days, weeks, or even months during pregnancy.

Lying down, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, lowers stress on mom's heart, kidneys and other organs, and reduces the pressure of the baby on the cervix, which in turn decreases the risk of premature contractions. Rest also increases blood flow to the placenta so baby gets more nutrients and oxygen.

If your physician has sent you home to bed, here are some tips to help you cope until you're back on your feet:
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