Have you suffered a miscarriage? How to cope with pregnancy loss emotionally

A couple of days back Hollywood starlet Britney Spears announced a miscarriage early in her pregnancy with fiancé Sam Asghari. She opened up about how it can be a devastating time and how coping with a miscarriage can be emotionally overwhelming.

Soon after, she shared how the healing power of music is helping her navigate the difficult chapter in her life.

Having a miscarriage is quite common and a woman who has had it, can get highly impacted physically and emotionally. Hence, coping with it emotionally, is extremely important for a woman.

Here’s what Britney Spears posted on social media about her pregnancy loss.

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Emotional impact of a miscarriage

Apart from the body, the mind is also affected because miscarriage is similar to the loss of a baby. The mother might feel intense pangs of grief and sadness, and due to the taboo associated with miscarriage, most mothers do not have space or opportunity to feel that pain, which makes it harder for her to come in terms with her loss.

More so, the later in the pregnancy you face the loss, the harder it is to deal with it. Miscarriages in the second or third trimesters have a huge impact on the mother. Albeit, if the miscarriage occurs during the first trimester, is it unlikely the mother or the family has shared the news with friends and family. In that case, it’s harder to find emotional support too.

Lastly, it also depends on how the family reacts to the event. If a mother is made guilty of doing something to trigger it, she might not be able to recover from it completely.

How to cope with miscarriage?

“Surviving a miscarriage can be difficult and one may experience a roller-coaster of emotions and physical symptoms. Generally, recovery after a miscarriage takes 1-3 months but it also depends on at what gestational age the miscarriage occurred and what kind of physical and mental support a woman received at that time,” Dr Neha Khandelwal, senior gynecologist, Madhukar Rainbow hospital, told Health Shots.

Clearly, a loving, supportive environment is what’s required.

How long before you try planning a baby again?

Women may experience a wide variety of symptoms ranging from vaginal bleeding, abdominal cramps, breast discomfort or milk leakage and these may last up to 1 week. For regular menstruation to start, it may take between 3-6 weeks.

“One must wait for 2-3 months before planning another pregnancy so that the body gets enough time to recover physically and mentally. A healthy balanced diet, exercise, yoga and meditation will help relieve the physical and mental stress on the body,” Dr Khandelwal adds.

Nonetheless, it’s important to remember that with proper guidance and treatment, it’s not difficult to become parents and staying positive is important.

Don’t hesitate to get medical help

In case you are still sad, anxious or have not been able to accept the loss, reach out to those closest to you, seek the help of a counsellor and give yourself enough time to come out of the emotional web you are in.