Coping With Miscarriage

Babies are precious. They truly are gifts from God; for who else could give such priceless gift without asking for anything in return? Still, more often than desired, the cold hands of miscarriage snatch God’s bundle of joys right from the tummies of unsuspecting mothers—before they even get the chance to share a warm embrace. A miscarriage occurs when a pregnancy is lost in the first 20 weeks. As stated on babycenter.com, about 10 to 20 percent of known pregnancies end in miscarriage, and more than 80 percent of these losses happen before 12 weeks.

There are many reasons for a miscarriage, and the amount one woman may experience is unpredictable. Women may try to reduce some of the risks involve, but we’re never fully immune. Miscarriage doesn’t respect culture, status, race, or religion. As a result, no woman is exempt. Dealing with the loss of a loved one can be heart wrenching. Losing an unborn child isn’t any different. The heartache and pain are the same.

So, how does one cope with a miscarriage?

Lindsey and Steve Justice had to cope with loosing 7 babies—all at once. Being firm believers in God and His ability to do wonders, they unanimously turned down the option to do a “selective reduction,” which is terminating some of the babies in order to give the others a better chance for survival. They lost one of the babies at 12 weeks. Sadly, at 21 weeks, they lost the other 6 in a late miscarriage. The parents were so thankful for their babies, they decided to make the first letters in each girl’s name spell the word “Messiah.” These names are stitched along the edge of 7 colorful blankets.

How do Lindsey and Steve cope? They rely on their faith in God to keep them strong. Also, instead of only locking their girls away in memory, they choose to honor them by keeping each blanket with their names, on the foot of their bed. Each night they choose one to sleep with.

How you choose to cope with miscarriage is a personal choice. Just ensure you’re mourning in healthy ways. Turn to your spouse and other family members for support. You may even find help in a support group or with a therapist. But one option that’s always available, is leaning on Jesus. There’s enough of His love and peace to comfort everyone.

Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you… (Psalms 55:22)

Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. (Psalms 30:5)

What can you recommend for women dealing with a miscarriage?

Click here to view Lindsey and Steve’s story.