Is It Important To Take Bed Rest During IVF Treatment?

Should I take bed rest during IVF and IUI treatment? For how long should I take bed rest? Does bed rest means lying on the bed for the whole time and only taking loo break?

Well, I will start with a disclaimer that every case and treatment is different so follow what your doctor says. However, I feel that taking bed rest is most over rated and the biggest myth. And, the type of bed rest that doesn’t allow you to lay your feet on ground except loo breaks is a complete no-no.

Post an hour of my embryo transfer I was resting on the couch of clinic’s lobby when my doctor came and said, “Mam, you feeling fine.”

I said, “Yes”

“Then go home, mam”, the doctor said.

“Can, I leave a little later if it fine by you for I am told that I should be lying straight for the embryo to implant”, I said doe-eyed.

“Mam, if you rest more than this then the embryo will swim out of your nose”, the doctor jested with a flat expression.

Yes, bed rest during IVF treatment is over-rated.

You should take it slow till 72 hours post embryo transfer but beyond that there is actually no need unless you have a peculiar medical condition or has been advised by doctors. Most of the time it is our parents, especially mothers and MIL who live by the miracles that bed rest has done in cases of infertility. Trust me, most parents will emphasize on how so and so took bed rest and they became mothers. Thus, taking unto themselves the responsibility of doing everything. Just because you conceived after a lot of struggle it doesn’t mean that they need to over pamper you. Don’t allow Pakeezah type of situation - “Yeh haseen pao zameen pe mat rakhey”. Educate your parents about this in a diplomatic way.

“Yeh haseen pao zameen pe mat rakhey”

Will you believe if I say that during my first IVF cycle, I too, like most of you blindly followed anything and everything? I too, took the only loo-break third degree torture type of bed rest, and my IVF failed. However, in my second IVF attempt I resumed office after a week break and I sailed through happily. Well, it might be just a happy coincidence too. But the failure of first IVF cycle got me thinking on what went wrong. And, one of the things that didn’t work in my favour was excessive bed rest for I was constantly thinking about, “Will it, Will it not, succeed?”

Also Read: Why First IVF Cycle Always Fails? 5 Mistakes You Should Avoid

This was building anxiety and stress. I had nothing else to do except stare at the fan. I was feeding my over active brain with negative and anxious thoughts. What if IVF fails? I was nagging God to his sanity’s limit, threatening him, cajoling him, and using all the tricks in my emotional shelf.

Listen to your body as you are the best judge. Don’t tire yourself. Engage your mind creatively. It is all a mind game. Keep your mind busy somewhere and stay happy then the mind will stay calm and composed. Paint, sing (don’t dance please), write, read, knit, go to a spa, enjoy a romantic dinner – do whatever makes you happy. Avoid, too much time on computer and mobile. There are harmful rays and there is a scientific logic behind it. Again, I said too much time not that you shun off your laptops and mobiles completely. Balance is the key to success.

Also Read - How To Kill The Two Weeks Waiting Period During IVF 

If your doctor has specifically prescribed bedrest then do that but avoid the only loo break type even then . Take it easy. You can always read, meditate, get a head spa or colour mandala books. The point here is to have a balanced approach and engage your mind positively without tiring your body too much.

Also Read: 9 Ways To Prepare For IVF And To Manage Infertility Better

So, I am sure now you have some clarity on this debate of taking bed rest during IVF  treatment. Believe your gut feeling. Go by your instinct. No one knows your body better than you do.  Don’t fall for the pressure of doing everything right for the pregnancy has come a bit late. Enjoy your pregnancy. The more normal you feel, the normal you will be.

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