I'm on bed rest due to Pre-eclampsia at 27 weeks.

[jfields]

I am currently 28 weeks pregnant but for 1 week (and counting) I have been on bed rest and will continue to be for the duration of my pregnancy due to pre-eclampsia. I'm now on home bed rest but this after 3 days in the hospital. This is my first baby so I really didn't want all this to go wrong and be my first experience with pregnancy but it is what it is! My husband and I will be married 1 year on Sunday 4/18. I know what a way to spend your 1 year anniversary. But we have depended on both our incomes this entire time and thats the most stressful part of the whole deal. Yes its boring not being able to do anything but the worst part for me is that I'm not able to bring in money to help with bills and then I can't even help with household chores. Which in all my friends eyes they think its great and would love to have there husbands do all the work but I don't. And now he is saying he is going to try and get a second job!!! I just wish there was something I could do from home to make money! I'm a nurse so with my job there is nothing I can do from home they have tried to find things and I'm hoping they will but its not looking to good. I'm glad this has been created I just need to vent and hopefully get some good ideas from people who are there or who have been there.

[BC-CrystalAZ]

Stay lying down. Don't try to too anything now. Your #1 job right now is KEEP THE BABY SAFE. Forget housework. Who cares if your house is messy.

I had pre-eclampsia at about the same time as you do, and ended up driving myself to the hospital, being airlifted to a better hospital, then delivering at 31w4d.

Monitor your blood pressure well. If it gets too high, go in.

Make sure your OBGYN stays on top of your meds. I think mine didn't take my problem seriously.

Talk to the OBGYN about getting the steroid shots for your baby's lungs as soon as it is feasible, in case you end up delivering early. (hopefully not!)

Not trying to scare you... I just remember my experience and how scary it was.

Oh and if you DO end up in the hospital, be ready for magnesium sulfate. They give it to you to keep your bp down. It's HORRIBLE. I actually got psychotic on it. Bleh.

Another thing you may want to do is to go ahead and pack a bag for the hospital. Being there was horrible and I wanted my own jammies, my own pillow, stuff to do/read, etc.

Hopefully you make it many more weeks, but I just know how quickly it can progress and if I could go back, I would have gotten more info so I would have been more prepared.

Good luck with the rest of your pg! Try to stave off the guilt and stress... it is bad for your bp.

Crystal

[jfields]

Thanks for the input and I'm trying to let it all go but its hard!

Yes I have amazing doctors they are doing a great job I am also seeing a maternal fetal specialist too and he is monitoring my sweet baby girl and so far she is doing great last u/s was monday and she weighed 2 pounds 11 ounces at 27 weeks and 4 days so they were very pleased with that! And they are already questioning me about the steroid shot so I'm sure that is in there plans. Thanks so much for the input and I will try and do better about not worrying about the house it just drives me crazy to have to sit and look at it and not do anything about it!!! But my main concern right now is little Miss Madeline Kay!!!!!!!

[AmymOH]

Hi and welcome to the board! I'm sorry you have to be here, but we're glad to have you since you are in this position!

Crystal is so right! As hard as it is, just let go what you can't change and concentrate on what you can do....gestating that sweet baby girl! It sounds like your doctors are right on top of things.

Does your hospital have an ask a nurse line? If so, is there any way you could work the line from home? That would be something you could do while laying down. I hope that they can find something for you to do, but if not please please don't let it stress you out too much. Stress is not your friend right now with pre-e, as I'm sure you're aware.

Like Crystal said, keep an eye on that blood pressure! Keep us updated. Feel free to vent here as many times a day as you need. We're here to listen.

[jfields]

1 week and 4 days of bed rest!!! Not sure how I'm gonna make it through this long process!! I know in the end it will be all worth it when I'm holding our sweet baby girl!!! I'm doing word searches renting movies and I'm even going to try and pick up the habit of crocheting I used to watch my great grandmother for hours and she was in the process of teaching me when I was younger but had a stroke but I think I'm gonna try and pick that habit up and make the baby a sweet blanket!!!!!!

One thing I've found that has annoyed me is unwanted company!! You know the people who come into your house to "see you" then they make comments about the dishes and the laundry but don't offer to help and turn into more of a burden than a help!! Then they dirty up MORE dishes and then just leave!! How can people be that insensitive?? Knowing that I can't get up and do it and my husband is working daylight till dark. But these are also people who are family and you can't just come and be rude because you don't want to hurt there feelings!!! I guess I would expect people to be more sensitive and if they are going to come and be bothered by the dirty house than why don't they get up and do something about it for me??

Thanks so much for having me here!! I really fell like I can vent more here than anywhere!

Yes the office does have an on call nurse line but we live in a small town and its a small office so it really doesn't stay busy enough to pay me to keep it thats an option I discussed with them?

[AmymOH]

Congrats on 1 week and now 5 days of bed rest! Believe it or not, it'll get easier. You will get into a routine and that'll help to pass the day away. Just take it one day at a time.

Crocheting is great! My mom crochets all the time. I just don't have the patience for it. lol She's recently been dx'd with alzheimers so I don't know how much longer she'll be able to do it but so far she's still doing great with it! Right now she's making up a bunch of baby blankets, then this fall she's going to have me list them for sale for her online. She's already made several that she gave to me for my cedar chest so that I can give them to my grand babies for her when I eventually have some. lol

I sure hope something works out for you with the job situation, but don't stress about it. Just remember that you ARE working right now. You're doing one of the most important jobs in the world by gestating your baby girl and giving her life.

I can NOT believe that people are commenting on dirty dishes but not just jumping in and helping out! That is horrible! If they say something about them, I'd just smile and nicely say something like "yeah, I know it's driving me crazy. I'd love to be able to clean this place head to toe but I'm just not allowed and really could use some help right now. We're thinking about setting up a volunteer schedule for family and friends to sign up and help since dh just can't do it all himself with working, and my babies life depends on me staying in bed. Would you like to sign up for a shift?".

It'll all be so worth it once you're holding your baby girl in your arms!