Bed rest - what to do?

[Tigerlilyb]

Last month I was told to take it easy which was hard enough, now at 31 weeks pregnant I've been put on full bed rest and I'm bricking it.

Poor DD doesn't go to crêche as there were no open places til September (which is when #2 is due, I don't want too much upset for her so we're holding off) and we have absolutely no friends or family around to pitch in and help take care of her. OH doesn't get home from work til 7pm on work days so I usually have my work cut out.

Her behaviour's already becoming difficult because I just can't give her the attention she needs. We're running out of disney movies. I've cracked today and given her our shared tablet with a few kiddy games but the battery is crap and when it died, tantrum time.

Any ideas of things I can do with her? Only one more month of this but I'm already going crazy.

 

[Starry Night]

Is she tired of her Disney movies or are you? If she's not tired of them you may need to bite your lip and just let her watch them over and over. I did that while on bed rest in my first trimester and then again as I was recovering from delivery (it was a rough one so needed lots of rest). I think I have Toy Story, CARS and FROZEN all memorized by now.

Does she like to draw or colour? My son is normally very active but he loves to draw (colouring pre-drawn pictures bores him) so we have a doodle pad and a pencil he can use. And for Christmas we bought him a Magnadoodle so he can draw and erase his pictures. Board books with lifting flaps are fun too.

He also liked to play with a bucket/bin of toys that I left out beside the couch where I rested. We pulled out all of DH's old action figures he had kept from his childhood. The toys were new to DS and he has fallen in love with them. I had to be OK with the mess though.

But ultimately, it was lots and lots of TV. I was able to successfully wean him off it both times though. I don't know if your DD will take to that willingly or not.

 

[AngelofTroy]

There's been a great thread about entertaining toddlers on long plane journeys which would have some ideas as its basically entertaining a toddler in one place without moving! Also look on Pinterest for ideas for car journeys and plane journeys.
Also water keeps Micah amused for a very long time, if it's warm enough could you dress her in very little and put towels down, give her a small bowl of water and all different things to float/sink? You don't need much water at all, just a couple of inches. Again you just have to cope with the mess really but water doesn't stain at least!!
There's nothing wrong with using the TV/tablet, maybe get some second hand DVDs off of eBay so there's something new and exciting to watch?
We've had endless fun with a poundland bag of pompoms, a spoon and a muffin tray, that tends to keep him entertained while I'm on the sofa giving directions like 'can you find a blue one? can you give mummy a white one?' etc
Threading pipe cleaners into a colander is good fun in one place for a while. Good luck, I'll try to think of some more!

 

[Boomerslady]

Good luck hunni. All I could think of was lots of films/playing on a tablet. Also like some said playing together but while you're on the sofa.

Also just a thought but before you get settled get drinks/snacks etc that she might want and put them near the sofa so you don't have to get up and down a lot.

I hope it gets easier for you.

 

[lilmissdanni]

Im 34 weeks and on strict orders to take it easy. The only reason it isn't bed rest is coz I chipped my cocyx a few months ago and since then can't lie or sit in same position for very long. We have watched despicable me 11 times since last Thursday...7 of them times since it was on itv since Sunday lol

We have also done jigsaws, some threading and he's played with his cars lots. It is so hard to keep him entertained!

 

[jd83]

I think TV/Movies are okay for the time being. You can always wean her off watching so much of it later, but it's a good way to keep her busy/entertained for a portion of the day, when you aren't able to be up chasing her around. Puzzles, toddler board games (we like to play Match, the Lady Bug game, that fishing game where you have a little fishing pole and catch the plastic fish as they go around in a circle). I'd keep a stack of those type games near you, so you can play them with her. Coloring. Arts and crafts. You can have your DH put together a bucket of art supplies and keep it next to you for her to do some crafty type things, like paper, glue sticks, googly eyes, those fuzzy wire things, etc.

Do you have Netflix? We watch kids movies on that a lot too, as I get sick of the ones we own and want to switch it up to something different sometimes.

Bubbles? Not ideal to do indoors if not in a bathroom, but its only a month, and you can always clean the carpets later to remove any residue. I know my kids go nuts over bubbles. And you could blow them for her from bed, and she can chase them around and pop them.

 

[Tigerlilyb]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, they've been really helpful.

I'm getting over my guilt of slumming it with her in front of the TV, I used to be in the restricted TV camp so I never saw myself watching so much of it with her! OH takes her out at weekends but I worry she's not active enough.

The midwife had the nerve to say that I'd put on too much weight at my last appointment. I'm a pregnant cough potato, of course I'm gaining more!

Unfortunately it's her that's getting bored of disney movies, the only ones she'll watch repeatedly are Frozen & the little mermaid. Lucky that little mermaid was my favourite when I was little but I know these two inside out now. I just have to keep renting & trying new ones.

 

[Bex84]

I would add to what your doing books ( my lo loves a cuddle on sofa with book) colouring book, stickers, those busy books with figures and little people. All you could do with your lo while lying on sofa

 

[A_Z]

Is there any chance you'd be entitled to extra assistance or childcare due to your medical status? I have no idea if such systems exist in France, but thought it was worth asking.

 

[Mrs Doddy]

Books, colouring, stickers , puzzles ?

Is there anyone friends or family that could take your lo out for a while ?

 

[Tigerlilyb]

Nearest family is 2 hours away and we don't even have a car to visit so it's not an option, just me We only really have acquaintances around here, nobody I'd be comfortable taking her for a while.

Books are fantastic, we have a big stack next to the sofa but colouring only holds her attention for about 2 minutes before she wants me to pitch in and help.

Funnily enough I got a paper through the door today about childcare and emergency babysitters for when I go into labour, it'll be worth having a look anyway