A few days ago, I learned that Tana Ramsay (wife of Gordon Ramsay) has suffered a miscarriage. As a perinatal loss specialist who serves families enduring pregnancy loss, my heart hurts for them. Watching how the media is treating them can be both heartwarming and horrific. Here, you can see Janet Street Porter displaying the…
Category: Awareness
Miscarriages are NOT Heavy Periods
“Miscarriages are like heavy periods.” I don’t understand where this phrase comes from at all. After diagnosis of a miscarriage, many women hear the words, “It will be like a heavy period.” Sometimes the medical professional adds, “And you might see more clots and pass tissue.” There is rarely mention of pain or contractions. Do…
Dear Emergency Departments Everywhere
Dear Emergency Departments everywhere… STOP SENDING WOMEN HOME WHO ARE HAVING A MISCARRIAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really cannot stress this enough. It’s getting very old hearing the words, “There is nothing we can do, go home.” Is that really all you have to say? Do you really thing there is nothing you can do? Let me explain…
They lost a child for goodness sake!
It isn’t called a miscarriage, it’s called a stillbirth. They lost a child for goodness sake. This is a very interesting statement and it implies that a woman experiencing a miscarriage, did not lose a child. If she didn’t lose a child, what DID she lose? For me, the moment I discovered I was pregnant,…
International Bereaved Mother’s Day 2016
Today is International Bereaved Mother’s Day. Did you know that such a day exists? International Bereaved Mother’s Day was started by Carly Marie in 2010. This day falls on the Sunday before Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day typically focuses on women who have living children or are pregnant. Women are celebrated, meals are shared, gifts are…
Caffeine Linked to Miscarriage – Study
Today.com posted an article today entitled Caffeine Linked to Miscarriage and Dad’s Habits Matter Too. The headline: “New Warning for Couples Trying to Conceive: Caffeine Linked to Miscarriage.” The headline alone will make anyone stop and take a look, especially those trying to conceive. This article can be frightening and I don’t think it has…
12 Things I Needed to Hear from my Doctor After My Miscarriage
This article originally appeared at The Mighty on November 15, 2015. I have miscarried two babies, Ruby in 2010 and Gus in 2015. I had two very different experiences with my miscarriage. In 2010, the doctor treated my experience as a medical event and was unemotional. It took months for me to be OK with…
What to Consider if you’re Experiencing a Miscarriage
This article originally appeared at The Mighty on January 28, 2016. 1 in 4 women will experience a miscarriage. Most commonly, miscarriage occurs in the first trimester; however, miscarriage can occur up to 20 weeks. After 20 weeks, a pregnancy loss is called a stillbirth, which occurs in 1 in 160 pregnancies. Women are often…
Antidepressants for Pregnancy Loss
Antidepressants are being prescribed by obstetricians to women who have experienced a miscarriage or stillbirth. Several of my clients have left the hospital with a prescription for an antidepressant and a few have questioned why. I have been scolded for my stance on this and told that prescribing antidepressants is very productive and should be…
Surviving the Holidays After Pregnancy Loss
It’s the holidays. Notoriously a happy and gleeful time of year yet can be the most painful time of year, especially following pregnancy loss. If you have experienced a loss this year, I am so sorry for your loss. I am so sorry that this will be your first Christmas without your baby. I don’t…