When pregnant, doctors suggest resting and lying down, especially if it’s a high-risk pregnancy. All forms of resting when pregnant involve not doing anything, which, to be honest, can get kind of boring after a while. Plus, there’s no scientific evidence that resting during pregnancy should not involve doing anything else.
As a matter of fact, some doctors consider it wrong and dangerous as it raises the risk of blood clots and other problems. Not doing anything during pregnancy and just lying down can demineralize your bones, weaken your muscles, and trigger a variety of other complications, which is why an increasing number of doctors don’t recommend it.
Here are certain unknown truths about resting during pregnancy no one talks about:
1. Resting Doesn’t Mean Doing Nothing at All
According to experts, all pregnant women should watch themselves for sure, but resting doesn’t mean they should do nothing at all. What they shouldn’t do is work too hard, drink, smoke, take drugs, and come in contact with sick people. Yes, you should lie down and rest more than the usual, but not 24/7.
2. Resting All Day Long Can Trigger Anxiety and Depression
Most doctors recommend resting and they’re right, especially in cases of cervical weakness. Women who are told to rest think that they contribute to the healing process as well. They consider it vital for their health and the health of the baby and doing anything else than resting can lead to bad thoughts, anxiety, and maybe even depression. If they don’t rest just like the doctor ordered, they feel they’re letting themselves down and harming the baby, which is surely not the case.
So, when recommending rest as therapy, doctors should be extra careful and tell women that they can do everything like before, but in moderation.
3. There Are Some Things You Must Avoid
Pregnant women need to understand that there are some things they simply must avoid. This goes especially for those with a high-risk pregnancy. For example, hard physical work is off-limits, even if your job requires it.
Ballerinas should stop dancing in the first trimester (even earlier in some cases) since there’s a chance of premature birth and harming the baby. It all depends on the type of pregnancy and your work. If it requires you to lift heavy objects or run or jump, you shouldn’t do it while pregnant.
4. The Calorie Intake During Resting is High and That’s a Problem
Many pregnant women don’t understand that resting like the doctor ordered also means higher calorie intake. That’s a big problem. Yes, you should rest more often, but if you do nothing besides it chances are you’re going to eat all day long.
Since your energy requirements are low, you should also lower your calorie intake and eat less. This can be problematic especially in pregnant women who have made eating a habit.
No matter if your doctor ordered you to rest or not, becoming overweight should concern you. If you notice that you’ve gained a lot of weight, talk to your doctor.
5. Doctors Should Treat Pregnant Women with Care
Doctors should definitely mind their words around pregnant women. If they explain nicely that the therapy prescribed is only a preventive measure, they’ll take it well. The Internet has ruined a lot of things for doctors. There’s a lot of fake info about pregnancy on the web, and since many moms-to-be read it, they have unrealistic expectations.
This is why doctors need to be extra careful when prescribing therapy, as many women can take it the wrong way.
