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Sympathy Gifts
Gifts by Occasion
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Dealing with Miscarriage
Miscarriage is the loss of a baby before 24 weeks gestation. Most miscarriages happen before 13 weeks. The majority of the time there is nothing you can do to stop the miscarriage from happening, and there was nothing that you did to cause it to begin. Knowing this upfront, I hope, will help to alleviate any guilt you may be feeling.
Dealing with the miscarriage of your child is difficult. You will precede though the normal stages of grief as if you lost any loved one. Your spouse will also be feeling the loss and dealing with his own grief. Talking together, taking some time off work to offer support to each other will help you to stay close during this time. Announcing to your friends and family the loss can be handled in many ways. You can ask another family member to make the calls for you. You can send out simple announcements that let people know what has happened, or you can call yourself. Doing one of these things will help you not to have to stop well-wishers mid sentence to inform them of the loss. It will ease the transition for everyone.
For yourself, you need to take some time to deal with your grief. You will no doubt feel sadness at the loss of this child. Writing in a journal the loss your feel, the emotions you are dealing with, or even a letter to the unborn child can help. You need to acknowledge your grief and work though it.
Be open with well meaning family members who really don’t know what to say but talk anyhow. They may try to comfort you. If they make a comment like “at least you didn’t get to know her” or “you will be able to have more children” gently remind them that the grief and loss you are feeling are real and that you would really like them to listen without offering advice. It’s true that unless you have experience a miscarriage yourself, you really don’t know how to respond. Offer them grace and forgiveness if what they try to offer comes across as insensitive or seems to trivialize it. Take it for what they were trying to do, and that was offering you their sympathy and comfort.
Take time to take care of yourself. Emotionally and physically your body has been though a lot. Taking time to exercise, eat healthy and dealing with the grief you are experiencing will help you in the long run when you are ready to begin the journey with your spouse again.
Miscarriage Resources:
Understanding Miscarriage
Miscarriage Sympathy Gifts
Facts About Miscarriage
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