Talk about shattering some stigmas.
“I want to share with you that I am most likely experiencing a miscarriage,” she wrote on Instagram.
“I always promised myself that if I were to get pregnant again, I would share the news with you guys pretty early, even if that means suffering a public loss. I have always been so open with you all about my family, fitness, pregnancies…and I don’t want to keep this from you, just because it isn’t as positive and shiny as the rest. I think it’s important to show the truth…because my job is to help people by being real and open. Furthermore, I have no shame or embarrassment with this experience. I want to be a part of the effort to normalize miscarriage and remove the stigma from it. There is so much secrecy during the first trimester. This works for some, but I personally find it to be exhausting. I’m nauseous, tired, my body is changing. And I have to pretend that everything is just fine—and it truly isn’t. I don’t want to have to pretend anymore. I hope you understand.”
She went on to explain that the next steps were only just to wait on her body to do what it does, adding that she is grateful for the village of support she has in family, friends, followers, and doctors.
“I’m hoping, that by sharing this, I can contribute to raising awareness about this sensitive topic.”
Experts say that the growing use of social media has helped to normalize the stigma around miscarriage and loss, as it’s cultivating a community of supportive individuals rather than allowing shame to manifest in the silence and isolation.
Gabrielle Birkner, co-author of the book, “Modern Loss,” says that women who are ditching the 12-week wait rule are essentially building a potential support network.
After all, it takes a village.
“They’re saying, ‘The same people I want with me in my joy, I also want them with me through any potential pain.’”
