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What Is Pelvic Rest
You must be wondering What is pelvic rest after coming across the term during pregnancy. When your doctor suggests pelvic rest during pregnancy, you may feel confused.
You’ve probably heard of bed rest during pregnancy, but have you heard of pelvic rest?
What is the difference between bed rest and pelvic rest? And what are you expected to do and not do throughout it?
Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered. Here are a few tips for keeping your baby safe and healthy and some things you should
look out for until you give birth. We bust the myths about sex and physical activities and help you and your partner stay close while you take care of yourself and your baby.
Continue reading to learn how to keep you and your baby safe and healthy and what to look out for until it’s time to deliver.
What is pelvic rest?
Pelvic rest is the medical term for refraining from sexual activity while pregnant. It translates to “no sex,” in layman’s words. Based on a variety of factors, pelvic rest is advised during pregnancy. It means refraining from all sexual behavior, particularly that which involves penetration.
In some cases, pelvic rest also means limiting any activity that puts pressure on the pelvis or makes the pelvic muscles contract. Squatting, brisk walking and intense lower-body workouts are a few movements that stress the pelvic region. In other words, if pelvic rest is advised, any activity that might burden the pelvic activity might be restricted.
Bed rest is distinct from pelvic rest. If your pelvic region is resting, you can perform most activities as long as they don’t put undue strain on it. If bed rest is advised, you will have greater restrictions and limit your activities.
Why Is Pelvic Rest Important?
Your doctor may advise you on pelvic rest if any of the following are true for you:
1. Bleeding or spotting during pregnancy
During pregnancy, bleeding or spots could signify something is wrong. Sometimes there is active bleeding because of a subchorionic hemorrhage, bleeding under the placenta, or a miscarriage. At the beginning of pregnancy, it’s common to bleed, but this usually stops later. In these situations, the need for pelvic rest might change.
2. History of preterm labor
If you’ve had preterm labor, you may need to rest your pelvis. Sexual activity could hurt you, so you and your partner should talk to a doctor or nurse before you get pregnant.
3. Risk of preterm labor
Sexual activity raises a woman’s chances of going into labor. Pelvic rest may be recommended for women at risk of having a premature baby.
4. Placenta Previa
Placenta Previa is an ailment in which the placenta lies below the cervix. Placenta previa can be complete or partial. Sexual activity can cause cervix discomfort, placenta damage, and bleeding or preterm labor.
5. Cervical complications
A shortened cervix or an “incompetent” cervix, sometimes called an insufficient cervix, are cervical problems. Doctors are unsure how or why cervical insufficiency occurs.
Cervical insufficiency is particularly harmful. Cervical dilation without regular contractions or pain is one of the classic indications. In other words, your cervix expands as though you’re going to give birth without your awareness.
As a result, it’s critical to follow your doctor’s instructions on pelvic rest. Pay special attention to any indications or symptoms that indicate you are about to enter labor.
6. Hernia
Women who have a hernia or develop one during pregnancy are particularly vulnerable. Doctors will recommend pelvic rest if the hernia is in a location where the woman is in danger of preterm childbirth.
7. History of miscarriage
Women who have had previous miscarriages are more likely to experience preterm labor. Miscarriages weaken the uterus and can lead to cervical problems.
Benefits of Pelvic Rest
Being unable to engage in sex when pregnant can leave you feeling exhausted. Especially when you’re at your best—glowing skin, gleaming hair, and a glint in your eyes. However, pelvic rest is recommended for a reason. It is simply to ensure that there is no increase in pressure on the pelvic region due to pelvic muscle contractions. Preterm labor can be caused by pelvic muscle contractions, especially if you suffer bleeding during pregnancy or have a history of miscarriages. Pelvic rest is enough for your pelvic area to lessen risk during your term. Its purpose is to monitor any high-risk pregnancy to guarantee a safe birth.
Is Pelvic Rest Different From Bed Rest?
If your doctor tells you to rest your pelvis, that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything physical. The main rule is that you can’t do any sexual activity that involves penetrating another person. In rare cases, heavy exercises like brisk walking, squatting, or lower body exercises that are hard on the body could also be limited. If your doctor thinks it’s important, he or she will tell you to do this. In a nutshell, you should avoid doing anything that puts pressure on your pelvic area. When you’re on bed rest, you can’t do most things that don’t require your whole body. But with pelvic rest, you can still do your normal day-to-day things.
What You Can Do to Avoid Pelvic Rest
You can do lots of things to keep yourself busy and take your mind off pelvic rest making it hard to move around. Here is a list of things you can do to learn something new, spend time with your firstborn, relax, or pass the time. You can look through it and find something that works for you.
New And Creative Skill Sets
- Do something you enjoy that has to do with art or crafts. You could paint a picture to hang in the baby’s room or learn how to knit. Knitting your baby’s first pair of mittens is the best thing in the world.
- Keep a journal of your days as you get closer and closer to the big day. It could be an excellent story to tell in years to come.
- During this phase, you might want to take a few pictures of yourself and your partner. Start putting together your baby album or photo book with these pictures, and add more as time goes on.
- Now is the best period to sign up for an online course related to your job or something you want to do after the baby is born. You won’t have time to get any certifications for the future after the baby is born.
- Learn a new language if you like to learn them. It could help when your child goes to school in the future.
Relaxing Activities
Take some time for yourself and let your guard down. You won’t have this much free time for long.
- Please list the books you want to read and try to get through them.
- Binge-watch all your favorite TV shows in one sitting. Stay up-to-date by watching all the episodes, seasons, and re-runs.
- Watch the movies you’ve always liked and those you’ve never seen.
- Keep in touch with your friends and set up times to get together and have fun.
Mood Lifting Activities
You could also do activities that make you feel better and help you get things off your chest.
- Start by getting your baby’s room and closets in order so that there is room for the baby’s things.
- Clean out and organize your closet, clothes, and other things. You might not have time later.
- Go shopping if you remember what you need to buy for the baby. Shop online, order the things you need, and keep them on hand.
- Play games or put together a puzzle with your partner or spouse.
- When you own a home, there is always something that needs to be done. You might want to make plans to remodel your kitchen, change the upholstery on your living room furniture, or even redecorate your bedroom.
- Give your hands and feet extra love and care by getting a manicure and pedicure. A good time at the salon could make you feel better for a few weeks.
Tips for Maintaining Intimacy While on Pelvic Rest
You might be desperate for an orgasm when you’re on pelvic rest. It’s that urge you can’t give in to but wish you could. You want a million dollars, and your partner can’t stop staring at you. Pelvic rest makes it harder to get into the vagina, which could put more pressure on the pelvic area, which is not a good idea. But there are many ways to become close without having sex:
- Hold hands whenever possible. Every chance you get, cuddle up to keep the fire going.
- Get your partner to massage you well. You could give one to your partner as well. Massages are not only a great way to relax, but they are also a great way to feel physically close to each other.
- Don’t forget to hug and kiss each other. A good morning kiss, a goodbye kiss, and a good night kiss before bed will help your pregnancy go smoothly.
- Talk to each other and talk about how you both feel often. Sharing your feelings will make you feel better and bring you closer together.
- Play games like Scrabble, Ludo, and Chess, or put together puzzles. It’s amazing how well these games bring people together.
- Watch romantic movies to remember you are in good times and prepare for great times.
- Take those photo albums out of the closet and look through your wedding and vacation photos to take a trip down memory lane.
- This is a great time to discuss your plans for the future and decide how you want to save for the future and what you want to do with your house and family.
Does Pelvic Rest Affect Pregnancy?
Pelvic rest does not affect pregnancy, and doctors recommend it to prevent problems from happening during pregnancy. A doctor will tell you to rest your pelvis only if he thinks any sexual activity could put pressure on your pelvic area, hurting your pregnancy.
Your doctor will find out what’s wrong and help you deal with it. Your doctor will tell you why they want you to take it and how long you need to take it. The goal of pelvic rest is to keep a healthy pregnancy going so that a healthy baby can be born.
When You Should See a Doctor
If you get any of these signs during pregnancy and have been recommended to take pelvic rest, you should contact your doctor.
- Back pain or any preterm contractions
- Bleeding from your vagina or any vaginal fluid discharge
- If you have a cervical cerclage and you realize that the cerclage is not properly placed.
- If you give in to your sexual desires and have sex when pelvic rest is prescribed.
- If you are injured or have an accident resulting from a fall or an automobile collision.
Final words
If you have issues throughout your pregnancy, your doctor will put you on pelvic rest after a diagnosis. Be assured that that is nothing to be concerned about. There are numerous approaches to dealing with it; in most cases, it is merely a passing phase. When your doctor recommends pelvic rest, it is done for your health and pregnancy. Its purpose is to keep you and your baby safe. A little caution never hurts anyone, and pelvic rest is a preventative step to ensure a smooth pregnancy.
FAQs
What is pelvic rest?
Pelvic rest differs from bed rest and describes avoiding certain activities for patients with conditions such as placenta previa. Pelvic rest may include avoiding actions that place pressure on the pelvis or pelvic muscles, such as intercourse, douching, or using tampons.
What does my doctor mean by pelvic rest?
The term “pelvic rest” refers to not putting anything into a woman’s vagina while pregnant. This is done to avoid medical problems.
How long is pelvic rest during pregnancy?
Usually, pelvic rest starts on the day the embryo is transferred, and surrogates are asked to stay on it for at least four weeks.
What can you not do on pelvic rest?
Pelvic rest means not having sex, restricting any medical procedures such as dilation checks (in pregnancy), and, in some situations, refraining from any workouts that could strain your pelvic floor.
Why is pelvic rest important?
Pelvic rest allows your pelvic area to rest and minimizes the likelihood of bleeding and contractions. And this will ensure that your high-risk pregnancy is as safe as possible.
