THE EXPERIENCE

No one talks about miscarriages.

I didn't know so many of my family and friends had had miscarriages until I shared that I was going to have one.

What I was told to expect and what actually happened, are two drastically different things.

And for the next person who might have to go through this, I'd like you to know before, not after, what you might expect.

I had been told to expect really bad menstrual cramps.

But, I had an early miscarriage. It was measuring 7 weeks, and according to dates I should have been 11 weeks (but we know that is off and that I conceived late.)

Even as early as I was, what I experienced was far above and beyond any period.

What I went through was closer to birth.

Mind you, I had natural birth with Joey.

Most of the contractions I had with the miscarriage were about 1/2 the pain of Joey's contractions. This doesn't make sense to me. It was disproportional to what was inside me.

Our original plan was to go through this at home, which is common. But I lost, what we though, was too much blood. Mark decided it was time to take me to the ER. Once we got there, I received pain medication. My objections to pain medication with Joey's birth was for the effects on the child. There wasn't going to be a child in this case, so drug me up.

They gave me demoral and I did not like it, and it barely took the edge of the pain. My contractions were worsening at a rate that even as they gave me more medicine, it made little or no difference on the pain. Then, I had a 3 to 5 minute (I'm a really bad judge of time) straight contraction. That long contraction, and the few leading up to it, were about 3/4 of the pain I had with Joey. After that, and adjusting my position, I passed what need to be passed and the contractions immediately stopped.

A miscarriage is more like birth than a period.

And the father along you are, the worse it gets. I have heard some real horror stories since this happened to me and people started sharing, and I realize that my experience was a good one, as far as miscarriages go.

I only hope my sharing can help the next woman be bettered prepared for what she is about to go through.