If you have begun to miscarry, and hadn’t yet been able to hear your baby’s heartbeat with a doppler, your doctor might have said that you are having a chemical pregnancy.
This means that it’s a very early miscarriage.
Related: please read our Honoring Uncertainty
This very early miscarriage–or the name of it–doesn’t make your baby any less real. At 5 weeks gestation, just about the time you may have found out that you were pregnant, your baby was about the size of a sesame seed. And, at 5 weeks gestation, your tiny baby’s heart has already begun to beat. It’s just too small to be heard on a Doppler.
While identifying your baby at this stage is probably just not going to happen, because of everything that is delivered during the miscarriage, including uterine lining and lots of blood, your baby is real. Your feelings about your baby are real.
You will likely have a natural miscarriage, or natural delivery. Rarely, artificial induction or a D&C may be recommended. You can learn about these different birth methods here:
You are invited to share your story here as well: please remember that sharing your story at stillbirthday is a way to express your feelings and share your experiences with other mothers – it is not to diagnose, treat or answer any medical questions.
You might visit our farewell celebrations for ideas to celebrate your baby.
