Everyone joked that my pregnancy bed rest sounded like a dream. In reality, it was the hardest 3 months of my life.
A personal account details the psychological and physical challenges of undergoing three months of strict bed rest during a high-risk pregnancy. The author reflects on the disconnect between the public perception of bed rest as a 'vacation' and the reality of the experience.
Why it matters
The story highlights the often-overlooked mental health and social pressures faced by women dealing with medical complications during pregnancy.
The author was ordered by her doctor to stay on bed rest for three months during her second pregnancy. Courtesy of Amber Campbell When I was 24 weeks pregnant, my doctor ordered me to spend the rest of my pregnancy on bed rest. Everyone acted like it was a vacation, but I was terrified. It was hard to give up control. Three months later, my daughter was born healthy. I realized how important that time was. In my 30s, my self-worth was still so connected to how much I could accomplish in a day that I named my business "do communications." Then one night, as I sat reading my 2-year-old daughter a bedtime story while 24 weeks pregnant, I started spotting and cramping. When I called my obstetrician, she advised me to meet her at the hospital as soon as possible.
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