Muscle Atrophy

Does anyone have any suggestions on what you can do to avoid muscle atrophy while on bedrest? I know there cant possibly be much but I am worried that I will have so much catching up to do after these babies come as it is.
I had lost a pound and a half since my last appt. and the only thing I can think of is that it is muscle loss-I have only been on bedrest for a week. That worries me.
Thanks for any suggestions!

 

Hi there!

I know that in the book "When you're expecting Twins, Triplets, Quads" there are some bedrest 'exercises' that you can do to keep things moving around.
I have been doing the point - flex with my feet which seems to help a little bit. They also recommend ankle circles, butt squeezes , small leg lifts & a bunch of other lower & upper body workouts.
If you want shoot me a message & I can give you the short versions of what the book says : )
Good luck!

 

Hi!
I have been on bed rest for 8 weeks and was extremely worried about the same thing, especially since
I am an avid runner and am quite active. I would recommend the same book and exercises as the
previous poster. It doesn't seem like much, but I still think it helps.

The doctor told me I have had a low weight gain, which I attribute in part to bed rest -- not much of an
appetite since I am not moving around. However, I have been trying to eat more to give
my b/g twins the best chance possible.

Clear the exercises with your doctor first....
Good luck!
Beth

 

I was on hospital bedrest on Mag for 2months, didn't gain weight actually lost weight the whole time, and being a very active person and also a runner i was worried about the same thing. Problem with me was that any kind of movement that I did started up my contractions (I was contracting the whole time too). So I had to stay very still and couldn't even get up to use bathroom. Even moving my arms and trying to do little leg lifts would cause increased contractions and changes in my cervix. So now that I am out on the other side (had babies at 33 weeks, in hospital at 25 weeks, babies are 7 months old and doing really well ) I want you to know that even if you don't do physical therapy you can get back in shape again and pretty fast! Even with twins newborns, a two year old running around, pumping exclusively, recovering from a c-section, and 2 months of bedrest that caused my usually highly toned legs to become noodles, I am now about 5-10 lbs shy of my low weight, I am running almost every day, I feel like I am close to being in very good shape again. Do what you can, but if you can't don't worry about it, you body will remember and get back to a pretty good resemblence of you. ( in my case it didn't take that long and so long as you remain disciplined in eating and excercise after the birth you can do it too)

 

Thanks everyone for your replies-I will check out that book-and also check with my doctor about what is okay. I have always been fairly active before this pregnancy and it has already taken alot out of me and now with this bed rest I just really worry. I will make the sacrifice with out looking back if it means I can keep these babies in a little longer...

Last poster-"pumpkintwins" how did your babies do born at 33 weeks-did they have many issues in NICU? My short term goal is to make it to 33 weeks-I did get the steroid shot, so I know that can help-

Thanks again everyone!

 

Lesley-
I know what you mean. I already feel so out of shape and my muscle tone is gone, but just hang in there! I can't do anything without contracting, so I don't even try I was on bedrest with my first son for 12 weeks and I was able to get back into shape and lose all of the weight (and some) very fast. I do remember feeling weak after my son was born if I did too much, but it didn't last for long.

 

Hi,

With regards to my babies born at 33 weeks they are doing very well. I had them c-section when my cerclage broke, the water bag was bulging, baby boy was very low and the contractions just got too painful and too close together. It was time to get them out. Being hooked up on Mag the entire time and getting terb shots every 3-4 hours for the whole time caused the babies to have what dr's said was hypermagnesia, causing respiratory distress at birth, so they had to be on the vent for the first 4 days of their lives, plus dd got an infection and later had troubles with sepsis so they were set back a bit with this, but I have heard other moms saying that their 33 weekers didn't even need vent at all. They were in the NICU for 24 days total, first to get their breathing and temp control down and then to get them to figure out the whole eating thing. It was a long stay, but after the bedrest and the c-section I actually was ok with going home and recovering knowing that the twins were in the best hands possible. I also cherished the little extra time I had to reconnect with my two year old daughter who I missed so much since being in the hospital before two knew attention grabbers could come home and distract me. The babies had some issues with reflux and feeding them was a bear in the begining because they would get so tired and not suck hardly at all. I had to pump the whole time because they were not strong enough to breast feed, but eventually they got the hang of it. DS had colic which may or may not have been a result of prematurity, otherwise, they are now almost 8 months old , 6 months adjusted and other than some PT and OT coming to help them with rolling and sitting they seem to be doing very well. (Sorry if this is too long but they also managed to escape any brain bleeds, ROP or any other very serious problems). I hope this helps. I know it is hard to see yourself waste away, you feel like you are becoming nothing, but I always used to chant to myself that for this period of time in my life my job is to be a vessel and just contain and keep the babies inside as long and as safe as possible. You have nowhere else to be, you have nothing else to do but this. Don't fear, your old body will return and you will recover. Do your best and that is all you can do! Good job to you! ^_^

 

Totally OT, but Lesley please check your PM's. I have sent you 3 and they have not been read yet, there is a question awaiting! Do you know how to check the PM's?