Post-Miscarriage Healing

My first miscarriage was nothing compared to the second one in terms of the physical toll on my body. I suspect the first one happened so early in the pregnancy that there wasn't much blood or tissue to expel. Indeed, the 5 week ultrasound had shown nothing, not even a sac, and I only bled moderately for a week. It was much like a period, and that was it. My cycle returned immediately and I conceived again right away. While the emotional impact was huge, the physical impact seemed minimal.


My second miscarriage happened later in the pregnancy and there was a lot of blood, clots, and tissue that I passed. I was amazed at the similarities between miscarriage and birth itself. Even the recovery period after miscarriage is very much like postpartum recovery, with continued bleeding for a few weeks and physical healing. 


I want to share some of the post-miscarriage healing aids I discovered. I found them to be helpful with both the emotional and physical aspects of recovery.

Homeopathy: After my day in the emergency room with my miscarriage I came home exhausted and coming down with a cold. I knew that the miscarriage put me at a risk of infection as well, so I took aconitum napellus to counteract that. I also took arnica for the bleeding. I took them in conjunction with using the essential oils.

Diet: For me personally this made a difference. My diet had included a lot of proteins and starches, and I decided to make a focused effort to eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible, focusing mostly on fruits and juices. I was skeptical when I started, but as I seriously followed this I noticed results immediately. I had more energy and I was happier in general. I handled stress a lot better. The timing of this coincided with a day of rest, and it was the perfect combination for me. I was more relaxed and energetic at the same time. I think it was a way for my body to cleanse after what I'd been through, and I decided to adopt this diet regularly in an effort to become healthier before trying to conceive again.

Rest: This is really important to do, as needed. I was exhausted for days after my miscarriage, and I found hot baths and naps to be really helpful. I couldn't lie around all day because I had a family to take care of, but I did what I could to get as much rest as possible.

I also had a headache for days after my miscarriage, and I've read that this is common. I relied on my old headache tricks of applying ice to my head and neck, taking molasses each day, and making sure I got enough rest.

Talking and writing: This was essential for me. I've learned that I process and heal much better if I can talk things through, repeatedly. For me this meant talking with several friends on the phone as well as writing and blogging about what happened, and chatting online when possible. It was important for me to go through the events and feelings of my miscarriage many times so I could make some sense of it and resolve my conflicting emotions. I also found the interactions in person and online to be uplifting, as I received much-needed support and love from others. The most reassuring thing anyone could say to me was that they understood how I felt.

Everyone grieves differently: This is really important to remember. I'm a talker, but some people handle things better by internalizing and not talking about it for a while. Grief is a very appropriate thing to feel after a loss such as miscarriage, and it's not to be trivialized. It's important to recognize the difficulty of the situation and allow the grieving person space to grieve in their own ways, but let them know you're there and you love them and support them. I found that my husband grieves very differently than I do, and I had to learn how to respect his methods while still nurturing my own.