I've had friends and family experience the sad,
heart-wrenching event of loss of a young baby through miscarriage. It's so common anymore, it's hard to find a
woman that HASN'T had a miscarriage. My
personal opinion on that is the lack of true nutrition via our American diet
and the disruption of proper hormones through an adulterated meat and food
supply.
The definition of a miscarriage is: "the expulsion of a
fetus from the womb before it is able to survive independently, especially
spontaneously or as the result of accident." I, as a woman with particular attachment to
babies and an anxiety disorder courtesy of the US Air Force and some arrogant
OBs, have never thought to be strong enough to handle a miscarriage. I have prayed, selfishly, never to belong to
that club. And yet ... with so many
women experiencing it, I wondered how to comfort them without such
understanding. Could it be possible to
understand without experiencing it?
I recently graduated with my Alternative Medicine degree
with an emphasis in Herbalism. I am
officially considered a Master Herbalist though I hesitate to use that
term. Sure, I know more than the average
Jane, but the more I learn, the less I feel I know. So I keep reading and researching and looking
for my next study program to help me along that path. As such,
I have already run into plenty of herbal and homeopathic solutions to
assist with preventing miscarriages. I
have even tried to assist a dear friend in preventing her last miscarriage - to
no avail.
This is the account of my unusual experience with a anembryonic
pregnancy, also known as a blighted ovum, and how I used herbs to assist with a
second trimester "miscarriage".
Defintion: "An anembryonic pregnancy (sometimes termed
a blighted ovum, although this term is falling out of favour) is a gestational
sac which develops without an embryo. Some authors suggest the term blighted
ovum should be avoided as histologically (the study of the microscopic anatomy
of cells and tissues of plants and animals) fetal material can be demonstrated
in most cases."
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About mid-December 2014, I was a few days late and took a
pregnancy test. It came up
negative. But still my cycle did not
occur. The previous month I had just
completed a cleanse and had an amazingly awesome cycle. One of the heaviest I ever remember
having. I kept feeling like I was just
flushing out years of toxins and it felt amazing. I thought the late period might have something
to do with hormones continue to balance out, especially since I was taking
female supportive hormonal herbs to assist my residual hormone imbalance that
I'd been dealing with for 10+ years.
About a week later, I took another test and it came up positive. We had had a rough year in 2014 regarding
stillborn and miscarried babies and my husband and I had tentatively mentioned
we hoped we wouldn't get pregnant during that year so we could completely leave
such a challenging year behind. I
decided to do something I had not yet done and withhold the news from my
husband until New Year's Eve. Thinking
perhaps that would help things start off in a better light. I prayed for the health and safety of the
baby and proceeded to make plans to increase my daily nutritional intake,
adding a superfood supplement in lieu of prenatal vitamins as well as green
smoothies and juicing daily. I felt
great and didn't gain any weight right away.
The New Year's announcement went off without a hitch and he
announced it at the party of friends that we were celebrating with. I contacted the VA to get my pregnancy test
done so could get referred to the OB/GYN midwifery clinic.
At this point, a lot of stuff happened regarding a previous
pregnancy insurance issues that prevented me being seen by the midwives. I opted for an OB, though I pretty much can't
stand them and their lack of bed-side manner or respect for mother's
intuitions. But since I hadn't planned
on delivering in the hospital anyway, I was willing to do blood-work and
possibly selective tests to have an inside view about my health. We do everything extremely natural, even down
to unassisted childbirth. The only
reason I even do prenatal care is to make filing the birth certificate
easier. I opt for midwives because they
typically don't push for all the ultrasounds, genetic testing and extra crap we
don't want. Understand, if there is an
indicator of something, we are open to further investigation ... you might
understand that better as you read on.
As the weeks passed, I had a nagging feeling that something
wasn't right ... but that there was no danger.
I had one appt scheduled but it got rescheduled then I had to reschedule
that one because we got snowed in. I
finally had my first prenatal appt that would occur around my 18 week
mark. In the meantime, everything
appeared healthy. I really never have
any pregnancy symptoms like morning
sickness, breast tenderness (once for a few days with my fourth), spotting,
swelling ... nothing. I actually feel
BETTER when pregnant as my hormones balance out and the relaxin hormone
relieves an SI joint dysfunction that affects my being able to walk comfortably
at times. The main issue I had was a
feeling I wasn't really pregnant.
Because of losing a niece in October who was a full-term
stillborn then my dear friend losing a baby at 12 weeks only two weeks later, I
was emotionally drained on the issue. I
worried I was disconnected from this sixth pregnancy due to those issues. I prayed against the baby feeling any rejection
and worked through prayer on the issue.
But still, I didn't grow bigger, gain any significant weight and never
felt any kicking - something I usually feel by 12-14 weeks (I'm sensitive to my
babies).
Monday, March 9th, 2015, my 16th week began. The day started on a positive note, with my
husband and I coming together that morning in love and intimacy. Before he left around noon for school, I did
note some bloody discharge and informed him since that was highly unusual for
me. As the day wore on, there was more
light spotting and I began searching the internet for information. I came to the conclusion that the cervix had
sustained light "damage" and a blood vessel had ruptured. Still, I began taking Lobelia as a precaution
(Lobelia has a wonderful history of preventing a miscarriage if the baby is
still healthy or assisting a clean miscarriage is the pregnancy is not
viable). I had no other symptoms of
miscarriage so I prayed and felt at peace about it. However, still not sure, I called my husband
later in the afternoon to report more blood and he decided to come home.
He stayed home the next day as well as a precaution since
this was new to us. I did further
research and my only concern fell on the fact that I was in my second trimester
... though I still felt at peace. On
that day, I felt my spirit submit to the will of the Father in heaven that
whatever happened would be according to His Will and I again felt comforted and
at peace.
Tuesday night I passed a few 1-2" clots but felt only
curiosity about it. I showed the first
to Benjamin. It was clearly only a clot,
not a fetus or any other tissue.
Wednesday I passed light brown blood earlier in the day then
stopped bleeding altogether. I still
took the Lobelia as it's recommended for three weeks following a threatened
miscarriage and won't hurt a healthy baby.
I even took it as an enema since that's one way to get larger amounts
into the system and I didn't feel like drinking the full amount that night. I believe this is what triggered the "miscarriage".
Thursday morning, I got up around 5am with cramping. Because I had taken a herbal bowel cleanse
the night before to help my waste elimination (completely safe for pregnancy),
I attributed the cramping to the colon.
This is still likely partly true.
By 6:30am, I was eliminating for the third time and heard a small
"pop" like the sound of a water balloon breaking and what appeared to
be my water breaking. "Well, that's
sad" I thought and said a prayer of thanks for a sure answer to what was happening
and one for strength and protection during what was going to obviously occur.
We prepared to go to the ER to get a better idea of what was
going on and what to expect. We spent
all day having ultrasounds and blood tests then getting a prescription for pain
and nausea. Miscarriage with a
possibility of a molar pregnancy was announced - as well as confirmation (much
to the doctor's consternation) that there was no fetus. Anywhere.
No parts, not remains, nothing.
16 weeks? But I had never FELT pregnant!
And suddenly it made sense to me. I felt
more like I was having a period and I was able to approach everything from a
discovery perspective and just proceed.
I expected to have continue clots along with cramping but everything was
very easy going at that point.
That night the cramps ramped up and I took one of the pain
pills in order to sleep. I also repeated
the Lobelia enema to help knock out the pain and assist with the miscarriage.
Around 3am, I took another pain pill because it woke me up. About an hour and half later, I went to find
the hubby to discover him crying, writing me a heartfelt letter about how he
would be strong for me but the miscarriage was hurting him. I comforted him, assured him we hadn't
actually lost a baby, but that I understood and appreciated his
sensitivity. I opted for a hot shower as
the pain pills were doing nothing and he came to keep me company. While in the shower, the contractions were
one on top of the other and I mentioned they were more painful than anything
I'd experienced in childbirth. I passed
a few more clots as we chatted. I prayed
for my reproductive system to do according to the Father's creation and flush
out without anger or fear. Shortly after
that prayer, I literally "shot" a huge clump of tissue across the
tub. Immediately, the contractions
stopped and I grabbed the item, clearly identifying it as a placenta. "Well check that out! I'm bringing that
in to my dr's appt this am!" I declared and placed it in a plastic bag.
The follow up appt that day had been scheduled (without my
understanding or permission) as a D&C (a procedure that scraps remaining
tissue from the uterus and can damage your reproductive possibilities). Thankfully, our OB was still doing her
clinicals and was not an "all-knowing"
OB with all the arrogant explanations and bossy tendencies I have thus far
experienced. Between my further
research the day before on molar pregnancy, she agreed that was not my case. With further discussion of my history and the
presentation of a complete placenta with deflated sac, this verified my account
and supported my refusal of invasive, unnecessary surgery. I was also without fever (I had begun taking
Vit C at 6000mg daily when miscarriage was imminent) and it was highly unlikely
I would have any infection. She
requested only to have labs done (and the 6-week postnatal was optional but we
want to hear the results of the placental testing) since I had carried for so
long, which was highly unusual but not unheard of. My hormone levels measured at a six week
pregnancy level and they just wanted to make sure they kept dropping.
The doctor was amazed and somewhat speechless that I had
passed the tissue seemingly so easily and completely. She said she couldn't explain that but also
couldn't refute it. My plan is ask her
at the 6 week if she wants to know why things went so easily for me ...
especially at my "advanced" age of 40.
The wonderful news in all this is that anembryonic
pregnancies are typically a one-time deal and don't affect future pregnancies
nor increase the likelihood of future miscarriages. My take?
I had a miscarriage physically with all the components but without the
emotional trauma. How wonderful is our
Father in heaven that He could give me understanding at least on one level in
the gentlest, most safe way possible!
There is no residual effect to this event (one day later and I'm barely
even bleeding with no more clots) and I have a testimony I can take forward on
how to help women have natural miscarriages, if they chose to go that route.
I still feel deeply for women who have actually lost babies
before their time. I trust those events
occur specifically to each women/family for various reasons. I have come to terms with the fact that while
I grieve for my friends and family, those events are not mine and I cannot do
anything to affect them one way or the other.
I still struggle to have words and most often can only cry and grieve
with them. But I now also have a more
firm faith that Yehovah has designed our bodies to function in the best
possible way and that miscarriages can be a blessing on some levels. Interestingly, my husband doesn't typically
dream about our unborn children but a few days before this event, he had a disturbing
dream that this baby was born looking like Humpty-Dumpty, with stunted limbs
and took only one breath after birth. He
did tell me he'd dreamed of the baby and that it was disturbing but he didn't
share the dream until after all this occurred.
I'm sure more will unfold and time moves on regarding
this. And we will wait upon Yah for His
will to be done in our lives. And I will
give thanks daily, for all things - good and "bad".
