Lots of PBS, Noggin (if you have cable) kids shows & DVDs. I would do a lot of coloring & sticker books with my kiddo, also read *lots* of stories on the couch. We lived close to a library so I would reserve books online & my hubby could pick them up at the checkout desk on the way home from work.

My hubby would feed our son breakfast in the morning, and pack snacks & lunch in the fridge the night before so I didn't have to prep anything. We lived off paper plates & plastic cups to save on doing dishes and hired a maid to come in once a week.

I was wondering since school is out now maybe there is a responsible tween girl in the neighborhood that would be interested in earning some extra money this summer? You would be there to supervise & maybe you could hire them at a reduced rate (vs an older more mature babysitter) a few hours a day to help take care of toddler.

When I asked my OB how I was supposed to take care of my toddler on bedrest, she asked me how I would take care of my toddler on bedrest in the hospital, since that was the next step if we couldn't keep my pressures down.

I hope this helps, good luck.

Lots of TV / DVDs / educational computer games? Babysitters? How would you take care of her if you were on hospital bedrest? I'd try to pull in some of those resources now. It's definitely not easy, and one of the things that I worried about tons in my subsequent pregnancies.

Our experts are less than enthusiastic about bedrest as a treatment, but many women here swear by it and your doc did prescribe it, so in your shoes I'd do my best. Call you doc back and clarify his / her definition of bedrest? Do they want you on your left side unless you get up to go to the bathroom? Or do they just want you to cut out trips to the grocery store and not worry about laundry and dishes etc.

I hope you get that extra week, but don't beat yourself up if you get sick!

On Tuesday I went in for my weekly check and NST. Since my BP was 149/102 and on the urine test I had a 2+ they sent me on to L&D for another 24 urine test and observation. The Dr warned me if things looked bad they would induce me on Thursday. An ultrasound that measured baby at 37-38 weeks (I am now 35 weeks) and 7lbs 8oz with head down and every NST showed that he is perfectly fine. The urine test came back over 500mg but the Dr seemed more worried about my BP and monitored me for another night. Even on meds it only seemed to stay at a satisfactory level when I stayed in bed on my side. So he moved my weekly appointment up to Monday and put me on bed rest trying to keep us baking one more week. That is all well and good but I stay at home all day with my two year old and it is really hard to stick to bed rest when I am having to take care of her. Any one have any tips?