Pregnancy after miscarriage can be an extremely stressful experience. On the one hand, you may be thrilled to be pregnant again, but on the other hand, you find yourself worrying that you could lose this baby too. Whether you’ve had one miscarriage or several in the past, the anxiety can put a dark cloud over your pregnancy and become overwhelming. Stress is not good for you and it’s not good for your baby.
Nothing aside from delivering and holding your healthy newborn for the first time is going to erase the anxiety completely, but these tips may help diminish it to a more manageable level.
Tips for Coping During a Pregnancy After Miscarriage
Know the Statistics.
While knowing the hard numbers isn’t going to obliterate your fears, keep in mind that 75-85 percent of women have a successful pregnancy after miscarriage. Those who have only suffered one miscarriage are in the higher percentage, while those who have had two or three losses range in the lower end.
Be Assertive.
Tell your doctor that you are concerned about losing your baby and request additional monitoring of your pregnancy and progress. If you have concerns, bring them up at your appointment or call the nurse and ask her to speak to your doctor. Don’t be afraid to speak up if you feel your pregnancy is not getting enough attention from your physician.
While knowing the hard numbers isn’t going to obliterate your fears, keep in mind that 75-85 percent of women have a successful pregnancy after miscarriage. Those who have only suffered one miscarriage are in the higher percentage, while those who have had two or three losses range in the lower end.
Be Assertive.
Tell your doctor that you are concerned about losing your baby and request additional monitoring of your pregnancy and progress. If you have concerns, bring them up at your appointment or call the nurse and ask her to speak to your doctor. Don’t be afraid to speak up if you feel your pregnancy is not getting enough attention from your physician.
Educate yourself…but not too much.
When it comes to pregnancy after miscarriage, or even pregnancy in general, there is a fine line between knowing enough and knowing too much. Reading books on fetal development, watching videos about labor and delivery, and listening to stories from experience parents about dealing with things like morning sickness, sciatic nerve pain, and so on are great ways to educate yourself during your pregnancy. Reading every book on all the potential things that can go wrong during pregnancy and after birth, on the other hand, will just drive you mad with worry.
When it comes to pregnancy after miscarriage, or even pregnancy in general, there is a fine line between knowing enough and knowing too much. Reading books on fetal development, watching videos about labor and delivery, and listening to stories from experience parents about dealing with things like morning sickness, sciatic nerve pain, and so on are great ways to educate yourself during your pregnancy. Reading every book on all the potential things that can go wrong during pregnancy and after birth, on the other hand, will just drive you mad with worry.
Talk it out.
Talk to someone you feel comfortable with about your fears regarding your pregnancy after miscarriage. While family and friends can be helpful, talking to a therapist can be really beneficial because it is often easier to open up to a stranger than to those close to you.
Relax.
This is definitely easier said than done, but you need to put your worries aside for a little while and take a few moments to just relax and enjoy being pregnant. If you have to, schedule “worry-free” time on your calendar and use that time to read, peruse nursery decorating books, or something else that you enjoy.Pregnancy after miscarriage does not have to be a time of non-stop worrying. By giving yourself a chance to relax a bit and focus on the positive aspects, you can help reduce your overall stress, which is beneficial to both you and your baby.
Talk to someone you feel comfortable with about your fears regarding your pregnancy after miscarriage. While family and friends can be helpful, talking to a therapist can be really beneficial because it is often easier to open up to a stranger than to those close to you.
Relax.
This is definitely easier said than done, but you need to put your worries aside for a little while and take a few moments to just relax and enjoy being pregnant. If you have to, schedule “worry-free” time on your calendar and use that time to read, peruse nursery decorating books, or something else that you enjoy.Pregnancy after miscarriage does not have to be a time of non-stop worrying. By giving yourself a chance to relax a bit and focus on the positive aspects, you can help reduce your overall stress, which is beneficial to both you and your baby.
About the author
Nicole Etolen is a freelance writer with over 15 years of experience, former nursing student, and certified nurses aide.