Post-abortion support

Coming back to yourself after an abortion

This is such a raw and tender time. I remember feeling as though there was very little support after my abortion and I felt as though I needed some guidance and a container to help me move through both the physical and emotional waves that followed.

How can you tend to yourself with great loving care?

Nourishment

Which foods help soothe your body, bring back some warmth and flow, can help you feel cocooned? Which foods really feel like they feed you, rather than take away from you.

Rest

I found restorative yoga and yoga nidra to be potent practices post abortion. Long held poses that held and supported my body helped soothe and restore my nervous sytem. Yoga nidra gave me deep rest.

Sensory practices

A hot bath. Cold water dips. Holding a mug of hot, steaming tea. Taking a moment to take a deep breath. A shower, water streaming over your face. Curling up on your sofa with a heavy, soothing blanket. Fresh, cool sheets on your bed. What can help bring you back into your body, your immediate senses just for a few moments, and out of your head. What senses bring you back into your body? Smell? Taste? Touch?

Gentle movement

Some gentle movement can be so helpful to allow the flow of energy in the body. I found myself to be feeling heavy and stagnant after my abortions. Gentle movement based practices, close to the ground can help earth you as well as providing a gentle flow. Walking. I found swimming very useful in the later days as well - indeed, in many the expanse of water felt like the only place that could hold all of my emotions.

Touch

I longed for gentle touch after my abortion. A massage felt too stripping, too much stimulation. But something clothed and like I could be held felt longed for. Zero balancing or cranio-sacral therapy could perhaps be very soothing in this time. What feels right for you? Self massage felt so nourshing as well around my face, scalp and neck.

Talk

Finding someone that could speak to me in the language of abortion and loss was so important. It felt important to feel heard and this in term helped me process my anger, which was quite an unexpected emotion after my abortion.