I’ve been on and off various kinds of bed rest throughout my pregnancy —not because of anything obstetric thankfully but because of my Crohn’s. To make a long, long Braxton Hicks-filled story short, I went from being super excited that Cap and I were going to enjoy an exotic babymoon somewhere lush and piping hot, to being told that the closest I was getting to sounds of waves lapping on a coral beach was the sound of my toilet flushing.
I’m not going to lie. I cried.
Ok, I wept bitterly.
As the days passed and it became apparent that even a small trip wasn’t going to happen, I decided to get creative. So here are some ideas Cap and I have come up with to try and make the best of being stuck in bed.
Yes, even if you’re on pelvic rest it doesn’t necessarily mean that Fernando the pool boy can’t make a visit to your cabana and give you a fantastic massage. You can still get a delectable foot rub, do role play (ahem Doctor), watch steamy movies and wear fantastic lingerie when you’re on bed rest. That’s all I’m going to say — the rest is up to you and your imagination.
Netflix means you can totally swing a movie. Or 10,000. Feeling more adventurous? My favourite thing to do is to go to the drive in and depending on your resting orders you might be able to get away with it too. Give this a try. If you have a sports utility vehicle (I’ve done this in a Chevy Tahoe) you can back-in to your drive in spot, put the back seats down, lift the hatch up, and voila, you’re watching a movie from the coolest trunk-fort ever; sprawled out with room to spare.
When was the last time you read out loud? When was the last time someone read to you? This is such a soothing pastime. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Buzzfeed quiz or Maupassant. Try reading a script out loud together for fun. Or my favourite suggestion? The Princess Bride by William Goldman, of course.
This is something Cap came up with and that we do whenever we need a date night and it’s impossible to take one. It’s easy, it’s free, and it’s awesome. Both of you make a list of your top 20 favourite high school songs and then take turns loading them into Grooveshark. Then turn out the lights. Snuggle. Time-wise you can invest one song, or make it into an epic all-night human jukebox experience.
You’re welcome.
There’s always video games to taunt each other with, but sometimes keeping it simple is just as fun. If you ever wanted to play strip poker, now’s the time to do it, or Strip Monopoly a la Friday the 13th. Want to learn chess? Go for it. Strip Chess? Yes. My favourite? Cards Against Humanity. Strip Cards Against Humanity? Why not. Also? I HATE PANTS.
It’s virtually impossible for me to lie in bed and just not do anything. I am so 'Type A' that I can actually feel the universe start to collapse on itself if I stay still for more than 5 minutes. True story.
One of our solutions to have fun and spend creative time together is to make podcasts. This started last year when I was in hospital with my Crohns flare and we were bored out of our skulls. Now it’s no secret that I love video, but sometimes when you’re on bed rest you don’t feel like preening, or like being on screen at all. Podcasting is the perfect solution.
It’s a really fun way for us to do something together, great to document couples’ conversations and commemorate life stages, and (my favourite) you don’t have to go live with anything you shoot. Of course, we do, because it gives me something to look forward to. Check it out!
Another Cap classic – work your way through as many Academy winning flicks in chronological order. And yes, you should definitely add thematic outfits and meals to match.
There is no reason you can’t have a multi-course, candle light dinner in bed, and if your partner is not a great chef? No prob. Order in! Dress code should be in effect (no pjs allowed) and sparkling juice should be chilling by the bed. Fancy stemware is also a must. Throwing said stemware at a fireplace in a grand gesture is optional.
Yes. You can go outside. You can do it. Lie in the shade, set up a canvas canopy, pretend you’re on the Riviera. Throw on a frock and a pair of cat-eye sunnies and listen to a Henry Mancini soundtrack. (That’s Mancini. Not Manfredini. Unless, you know, you’re sitting on the shores of Crystal Lake and you have a great sense of irony.)
DO IT. If you are not on strict hospital bed rest, check in to a room with a view, get room service, watch movies, put on a monogrammed robe, and enjoy the silence with (or without) your partner. And yes it’s worth it, because this is your BABYMOON. And even though you might be looking at life from a horizontal vantage, it doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve it.
This is the last few weeks of alone time with your partner, or the few days you’ve managed to eek out because you already have kids. Now is not the time to dismiss your cravings for time together, it’s time to indulge.
Talk to your doc and see if these or any other ideas you have for your bed rest babymoon might work.
And remember, bed rest isn’t the end of the world. After all, it’s what got you here in the first place.
WAH WAAAAAAAH.
See? There's no right way to have a babymoon. Find out how our blogger Jen Warman spent her babymoon.
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