It’s not something you hear discussed often, but it’s something that’s very much a part of my life right now: here is my anxiety after miscarriage story.
I’m so excited and grateful to be sharing my story of anxiety after miscarriage as a Womanly Wednesday post on Sobremesa Stories. Lauren has featured so many strong, beautiful, courageous women as part of her Womanly Wednesday series; I’m thrilled she gave me the opportunity to contribute to that legacy today.
Anxiety After Miscarriage: A Womanly Wednesday Guest Post
I don’t consider myself a particularly anxious person. Yeah, I definitely have those, “My parents are calling after 9:00 pm- oh-my-gosh-who-died!?” moments, but I don’t typically lay awake at night worrying over things, and I’ve never had even a hint of a panic or anxiety attack.
That’s why I’m still surprised that, as I approach the final month of my fourth pregnancy- the time when baby is safe and would be healthy if delivered today- the anxiety I feel is at an overwhelming high.
I didn’t experience this anxiety with my first two pregnancies. They were both textbook smooth and, aside from an unplanned C-section with the first, both babies and I were healthy and happy. We grew our family at just the pace we had planned.
There aren’t words to describe the pain of miscarrying our third pregnancy at 12 weeks. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced. It took my husband and I several months to decide we were ready to try getting pregnant again. When we succeeded a few months later, I immediately knew our fourth pregnancy would be different.
Gone was the carefree attitude of previous pregnancies. This time, I was conscious of every twinge of nausea and every new craving- every sign the pregnancy was progressing normally. It wasn’t until we passed the 12-week mark- the point we lost baby number three- that I felt able to take a deep breath and envision a future with a baby I was beginning to dream I might actually get to meet.
Head over to Sobremesa Stories to read the rest of my anxiety after miscarriage story.
Thank you so much for sharing your story! I just clicked over and read it. As you know I am pregnant with my first baby and have experienced some anxiety. I never miscarried myself so I won’t say I can relate to how that feels because I know I can’t! But I’ve had a few close friends and family members who miscarried so I was so nervous about that happening early on in my pregnancy! And then last week I had a couple days where my baby wasn’t moving and I was freaking out that something was wrong with him. Fortunately he started moving again and seems to be doing great still.
Thanks, Jenna! I’m so glad your baby boy is still doing well. That milestone- feeling them consistently throughout the day- is always such a big relief. Just know that pregnancy- and postpartum- anxiety is normal and, even though you don’t hear or read about it enough, you’re not doing anything wrong if you experience it.
Ugh, I’m sending you a big, BIG hug, and I really hope everything goes well with this one. Your family is so beautiful! We’ve been dealing with some infertility issues for the past 6 years and it’s just been a heartbreaking experience. I can’t even imagine how devastating it would be to lose one 🙁 I’m sending you many well wishes of future snuggles with your baby!
Thanks, Cristina! I’m so sorry for the infertility you’re experiencing. After joining the infertility/miscarriage club, I’m constantly amazed by how many couples struggle with either or both issues, yet there still isn’t much conversation about it. I hope y’all’s issues get a happy ending.
Thank you for sharing this. I’ve never had a miscarriage, but I have many friends who have and have heard about their experiences. I’m so sorry that you had a miscarriage and that it’s changed your pregnancy this time around. I’m no stranger to anxiety, and I was so anxious that we didn’t announce my pregnancy until I was 16 weeks along.
I hope that your anxiety is soothed with the arrival of your sweet babe. And if it doesn’t, I hope it eases with time as you see your baby grow. I remember being super anxious after our girl arrived, and it has slowly dissipated with time. <3 Sending you a HUGE hug for opening up and sharing this and letting other women who might be experiencing anxiety after miscarriage know they're not alone.
Thank you, Erin! I’m hoping to feel better about things after baby girl arrives, but I’m also preparing for that to not be the case. Either way, I’ll have a sweet baby to snuggle. Thanks for your kind words.
Thanks for sharing this so openly and so bravely. You rock, and it’s awesome that the Lord has blessed you with another sweet one on the way!
Thanks, Kelsie! We’re so excited to meet her soon.