Coping with Miscarriage / Pregnancy Loss
By Krissi Danielsson, About.com Guide to Miscarriage / Pregnancy Loss
Coping with miscarriage is no small task. You may be struggling with emotions that range from denial to despair, and to make matters worse, your friends and family may not understand what you are going through and may be peppering you with their thoughts. Your relationship with your partner may also suffer as you handle your grief differently.
- Common Emotions After a Pregnancy Loss
- Breaking the News of a Miscarriage
- Coping Techniques
- Trying to Conceive After a Miscarriage
- Supporting Someone Through a Pregnancy Loss
Common Emotions After a Pregnancy Loss
Emotions after a miscarriage or stillbirth can be much like the "five stages of grief." It's OK to feel angry at the world or to feel sad for a long time.
Breaking the News of a Miscarriage
It's hard enough to hear the news yourself, but sometimes it feels like an extra burden to have to tell all of your friends, coworkers, and relatives about a pregnancy loss. Talking to your other children about miscarriage, if you have them, can be another challenge.
Coping Techniques
The world can feel like a lonely place after a miscarriage, especially during the holiday season. But specific tried and true tactics may help you feel at least a little bit better.
- Honoring Your Baby: Memorial Ideas
- Coping with Insensitive Comments
- Handling the Holidays and Other Gatherings
Trying to Conceive After a Miscarriage
For many women, trying to get pregnant again is the only way to cope with a miscarriage. For others, the mere idea of another pregnancy is enough to trigger an anxiety attack. The right time to try again for a new pregnancy is different for everyone.
Supporting Someone Through a Pregnancy Loss
If you have never had a miscarriage yourself, you may find yourself struggling to figure out what to say to someone who has lost her (or his) child to pregnancy loss. Try to avoid some common well meaning but possibly hurtful comments; usually the most important thing is to let your friend or relative know that you are there and that you want to help.
