Coping with a miscarriage is difficult, but it is important to know that you are not alone. There are various communities and resources available to support you throughout this time. Although nothing can replace speaking to a professional before you're ready to invest, feel free to try our top five recommendations.
Find a support group or community.
Miscarriage is a complex experience as you are dealing with your body’s recovery in addition to coping with grief and other emotional effects. It can help to hear from or talk to people who have experienced in the past or are currently experiencing what you are going through. You can also share ideas for ways to honor your pregnancy and what it meant to you like planting a tree, growing flowers, or buying a piece of jewelry that brings honor and remembrance to that experience. With that, finding a good support group or community can really aid throughout this process.
There are a number of different platforms for you to find your circle of support. For one, there are a number of nonprofit organizations that exist to spread awareness of miscarriages as well as offer support services. In addition, Facebook has many groups built by and for women who have gone through miscarriage to connect with each other online.
Finally, one of the best options for finding support is joining Mamas After Miscarriage. Mamas After Miscarriage is a self-paced 6-module course that provides clarity, education and, most importantly, hope. Through the program, you will learn exactly what's going on in your body, how to communicate with your spouse and others about the loss, and the next steps to take for you personally. Not only do you get lifetime access to this curriculum, but you are provided with a free one-on-one call with me and my supportive Facebook group for members only with direct support from our team and a community of women who know what you're going through.
Sign up for weekly encouragement.
Grieving is a journey with ebbs and flows. Your emotions fluctuate a lot, so it is extremely important to find a source of constant support and encouragement. While friends and family can fill this role, they may not always be present when you need them to be. I recommend signing up for my weekly emails. These emails include encouragement, journal prompts, and new podcast episodes with actionable advice. This way every week you know there will be someone to provide you with a boost of positivity to uplift your spirits and cheer you on in this process of healing.
Clean up your content consumption.
The media you view and consume every day has a large impact on you, whether you notice it or not. Therefore, it is important to cleanse your feeds of content and individuals that might trigger negative emotions. The unfortunate reality is seeing other people’s pregnancy journeys can be hurtful to your own healing. Whether it is an influencer you keep up with or a friend, one of the first steps you can take is to unfollow any accounts that post material that may prompt grief or harmful feelings.
If you don’t feel comfortable with unfollowing certain people, some social media platforms offer other alternatives to limit the content that you view. For example, Instagram and Facebook both have a “Mute” feature that allows you to stop seeing an account’s posts or stories without actually unfollowing or unfriending. This could serve as a great way to limit the content you view until you are ready.
Learning from others who have experienced miscarriage and professionals who understand the subsequent grief that comes with is an effective step you can take to healing. The Pretty Little Tribe podcast brings bloggers, authors, physicians, therapists, and other figures together and shares their stories, work, and advice. Although the guests of these podcasts change from week-to-week, their overarching topic and goal remain the same: to demystify and educate women on all things fertility-related.
Some episodes that are must-hears for those looking for miscarriage support are:
Speak to a professional.
Last but certainly not least, you can always speak to a professional. Professionals are there to advise you with their expertise and many years of experience under their belt. I am a Certified Fertility Health Coach, Master Certified ICF Life Coach, Birth & Bereavement Doula and New Parent Educator. Over the past 10+ years, I've been helping people of all backgrounds in their TTC journeys, including infertility and miscarriage support. If you are interested in learning more, reach out to me here.
Again, you are not alone in this process. We hope these five things aid you in your miscarriage journey and lead you to find the love and support you need.