During her last pregnancy, the author experienced bed rest, which left her with many unanswered questions and feelings of isolation. While confined to her bed, she continued to manage her family's logistics and her storytelling agency, despite lacking the paid leave she needed. Her first experience with bed rest had a supportive doctor, but this time, she faced difficulties in advocating for her care. The juxtaposition of her desire to maintain family stability against the emotional and financial strain highlighted the complexities of motherhood and health care.
This wasn't my first time on bed rest. Years earlier, while pregnant with Lily, I had been given the same order. A short cervix, they told me.
I clung to those sounds like proof of the world that existed even if I couldn't see it. Outside sounds became a lifeline.
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