Hi all, I'm so sorry for your losses. I just wanted to post and say that I went through all of this 3 weeks ago today. Missed miscarriage at 6+3 (2 days after seeing the heartbeat at a scan), and found out at 10 weeks. Had medical management a week later.
I wanted to share some of the things I was thinking/feeling in the hope of helping you all in some way.
- I also felt to blame in some way to the point where I really hated myself, but during my pregnancy I was so so careful, didn't eat what I shouldn't have eaten, took my vitamins, didn't even MOVE in certain ways in case I hurt my baby. I have a family member pregnant that got pregnant at the same time as me and she was the total opposite - wasn't anxious, ate what she wanted (within reason), was picking up heavy things etc. This has shown me that I was not to blame in any way at all and me being careful etc did not save my baby. There is literally nothing else I could have done.
- I was in bed for a few days too and had hours on end of pity parties. It's honestly normal for people who have been so happy, imagined a future with their baby, have started looking at clothes etc to feel so devastated when they lose theirs. Don't be hard on yourself and if you want to stay in bed, then stay in bed. Grief can physically hurt (it felt like my heart had been pulled out of my chest) and it's important to flow with the grief.
- I had my positive pregnancy tests, photos of my bump (which 'popped' at around 5 weeks as I'm slim so was pretty big at that point), pregnancy books, messages I'd excitedly sent to family members, photos of my scan, my green pregnancy booklet from the midwife, notes on my phone of questions to ask the midwife.. I had to to delete/throw everything away. I wanted to originally keep them as memories but as a pp said above, I'm also not a fan of raw negative memories. I asked my husband to dispose of them and I have no regrets.
- when I was given the news at the scan, I had expected to smash all of the equipment up, have a heart attack and die. I was honestly dreading the worst, so much so that when I didn't do all of those things mentioned, I was proud of myself. Us women are stronger than we think and the unknown is always the worst.
- I did, and still do, dream of holding my baby. I woke up a few nights ago from a dream in which I had twin boys and was breastfeeding. I'm sad to say I soaked my pillow as I was crying in my sleep. Again, I think this is totally normal as our dreams are called dreams for a reason - our brains are working in overdrive and thinking of things that we desperately want.
- I thought the sonographer must have been wrong and I'd convinced myself that I was in fact still pregnant and the baby was 'hiding'. This is again very normal as we don't want to believe the worst.
- I found in the beginning that my miscarriage was all consuming and that I would never feel happy again. I questioned all of the time 'why me'. MN helped me tremendously (which is also why I'm posting on here) and I have some tips that helped me in those early stages:
- writing a 'miscarriage journal' which sounds so awful and emotionally harrowing but I can't tell you how therapeutic it felt to write everything down. All of my emotions, grief, anger, sadness, hope, guilt, envy of others. Don't make yourself write in it every day - just whenever you feel.
- post on here/read other's posts for support.
- go for long walks (when you are physically able to). Vitamin D from the sun helped me, as did getting out of the house.
- hot showers (I never felt 'clean' when I was miscarrying and these showers helped ease my stomach cramps).
- talking to family members or friends that have gone through the same (if you don't have any family members/friends, please do message me and I will try my best to help).
- finding something that my husband and I didn't do pre-pregnancy or whilst pregnant so that we could make new memories, for example we are starting yoga in December together.
- enjoying things we couldn't enjoy whilst pregnant (e.g. sushi, which is my favourite).
- mind-map things you are grateful for - I have mine in front of me now and I have 'my puppy, finding my husband at a young age, parents that are always on the other end of the phone for me, a full fridge, steady income, the fact I'm still breathing'.
I hope this helps in some way. I honestly thought my world would end in the early stages of my miscarriage. It was the worst time of my life but I know now that if it happens again (which I'm dreading and hope if doesn't), I can get through it. I'm now at a point, three weeks on since the medicine, that I am able to get through my day somewhat normally. I still cry most days, but I'm not howling on my own in bed in the dark like I was in the beginning (and there is NOTHING wrong with that - we are mothers, if only somewhat for a brief period of time). There is light at the end of the tunnel and I am offering a handhold to all of you. x