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Getting put on bed rest during pregnancy means even travel to the end of your driveway is banned, but there are many ways escape the monotony of bed rest. I was put on bed rest during my last pregnancy, so I know sometimes a pregnant woman would be thrilled for permission merely to check the mailbox. Here are tips for getting a virtual escape from the confines or your bed during bed rest. Subscribe to Type-A Mom articles

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Being on bed rest doesn't mean you can't still enjoy the benefits of travel. You can get an escape:

• Bring the day spa home. Check with local day spas and masseuses, and find one that will come to your home. Or simply create your own home spa by indulging in great spa items like bath products, which you can conveniently order online. The morale boost of a facial, manicure or a long, relaxing soak for stiff, bed rest muscles (as long as it isn't too hot for the baby) cannot be overestimated for a pregnant woman on bedrest.
• Read a book set in a beloved destination. Peter Mayle's "A Year in Provence" is a wonderful choice.
• Plan your next trip. Sure, you can't go yet. That doesn't mean you can't make all the arrangements for baby's first trip, or your own baby-free babymoon. Just don't book anything before six weeks after your baby's due date, when baby care gets easier and travel is less trying.
• Discuss your last trip on a forum. Even if you're confined to bed, you can find hundreds of like-minded travel aficionados online. Get ideas and tips for traveling with the soon-to-arrive little one at my Family Travel Discussion Board or join in any of the other Outdoor Adventure Discussions Boards.
• View online travel photo galleries. There could hardly be more of a bed rest armchair activity than seeing captivating photos of your favorite destinations or spots you've always dreamed of visiting. Flickr photos tagged "travel" and Webshots' U.S. travel photo and world travel photo sites are good choices.
• Write a travel article. Have you always dreamed of being a travel writer? Well, now that you aren't at work, you have time to write a travel article about one of your trips, research travel markets and send out query letters. Consider writing a travel column for Suite101, even: the Outdoors & Adventure Section is hiring experienced writers for several topics.
• Organize your travel or honeymoon photos into an album or scrapbook. You surely have old photos from your last trip stacked in a box or wasting space on your hard drive. This is one time when you actually can do the scrapbook or photo album on your to-do list since the honeymoon.
• Create a budget to save for your next trip. Examine your budget, and find a way to open a special savings account for your first big family getaway. If you think you will never be able to afford it once baby arrives, think again.
• Buy some travel gear. Even if you can't use it, shop around online or in catalogs for great travel gear. You can even look for some baby-friendly travel gear (or, better yet, register for it).
• Buy a travel guidebook, especially if it's on something new, be it a destination you've never visited or a type of travel (such as a cruise or adventure travel) to try after the baby arrives.
• Create a personal travel Web page. This could feature a journal, itinerary and photos from your favorite trips. Find out about some tools to make Web design easy.

While it can be discouraging to be stuck on bed rest, take advantage of this rare time to plan a trip, remember old trips or commemorate your travels.

Shoot, if nothing else, spend an afternoon talking with your husband or your older children about your past travels, or travel dreams for the future. It's so nice to get a mental escape while on bed rest.

Originally featured on Suite101's Family Travel site.