Bed Rest

Now, technically, I'm the one whose supposed to be on bedrest. And I will admit, after an initial heavy resistance and frustration, I've given myself over to it, and I'm glad that someone out there was smart enough to tell me it was time to take a break (because goodness knows, with SO MUCH TO DO before the arrival of a new family member, there was no way I was slowing down voluntarily.) Now, I'm sure there are many circumstance under which bedrest is a real drag. If the baby is in danger, there's obviously a lot of anxiety and emotional weight that I, thank goodness, am not suffering from. Also, I'm sure bedrest in a first pregnancy is a whole different story: having pampered yourself for 9 months, you don't necesarrily appreciate bedrest as a break, but perhaps look at it as a punishment. For me, I quickly realized that I could not remember the last time I got to just sit around and relax all day. A full time job plus a kid kind of make that notion obsolete. Let's face it, just being a parent pretty much makes that notion obsolete. The last time I can remember indulging in such full-on laziness would be the several days following my appendectomy the year before we had Clio, when I stayed with Missy and Jim, and Jim and I watched all 24 episodes of the first season of the O.C. in about 48 hours. Bliss.

In similar fashion, it seems I'm having no trouble passing the days. I have napped. I have watched a year's supply of design shows. I have watched the entire second season of Grey's Anatomy, including bonus features. I have flipped through magazines and continued to reconsider the living room decor. I have strolled the two blocks to the daycare, and sat at the playground down the street enjoying some fresh air while Clio runs around. I have napped some more. Here and there, I have taken on a little project, like pulling out all the baby clothes or watering the plants on the deck, but even those small activities set me back, and remind me why I was sentenced to bedrest in the first place.

I have also been operating on a theory. This theory held that there is a real mind-body connection when it comes to childbirth, and that for me, the transition from normal life to a birthing state of mind, takes about two weeks. This is based on my experience with Clio, where I worked right up to me due date, woke up the next day, and thought, okay, bring on the labor. Nearly two weeks later, my body finally responded, and Clio came into the world. I have now been on bedrest for two weeks, and realize that I was counting on this timeline, and feel maybe a tiny nit disappointed that there's no real sign that this is happening soon; the truth, of course, is that baby's come when they're good and ready, and I could be waiting another two weeks. At that point, I may not have such a positive view of bedrest, but for now I'm looking at it as a gift.


Here's another kind of gift, one I'm sure I will yearn for when this baby does appear on the scene: a peaceful, sleeping household.


P.S. Don't you just love our new bedding (top photo?) It's from the fabulous line that Dwell is doing for Target. In New York, most of it sold out pretty immediately (the Brooklyn Target often looks like a scene from a diasaster-ravaged city, with swathes of empty shelves and the odd misplaced item); luckily for us, they were not only available, but ON SALE in Minnesota, and my parents were kind enough to pick us up a set and ship it off. Love it!