Book excerpt: For the more than one million people who face an extended period of bed rest every year, this practical and reassuring guide turns recuperation into a productive and rewarding experience. Forced to spend months in bed during her first pregnancy, author Barbara Edelston Peterson knows what it takes to triumph over a drawn-out confinement. Find out how to transform a bed into "Command Central" — beat loneliness by staying connected to the world via family, friends, and the Internet; plan weekly and daily schedules of tasks and events; start personal projects like reading, learning a craft, or volunteering; create special quality time in bed with your children; and maintain a warm relationship with your partner. With firsthand accounts of people who have successfully come through a long-term confinement, plus helpful appendices offering sources for more information and support, Making the Most of Bed Rest transforms confinement into productive and fulfilling contentment.