If you’re struggling through a miscarriage, looking for answers, or have a friend who is, here are 6 ways to naturally heal from a miscarriage.
This post contains affiliate links, FYI. Also, please remember I’m not a doctor. All the information here is based on my own personal research and experience. Please do your own research or talk to a health care professional.
Those are my crazy kids. Well, not all of them. There are three more… in heaven. This month marks the due date of my last baby. That pregnancy ended in the hardest miscarriage – physically and emotionally – that I’ve had, and healing from it has been hard, as well.
That being said, even though this is primarily a food blog, I knew I needed to take the opportunity to speak up about the little-talked-about topic of miscarriage, and give a few tips on how to heal from it as naturally as possible. My hope is that some of you will find help and strength.
My story.
I’m gonna be completely honest with y’all – I do not like being pregnant. I know, I know, I’ve got five kids, so I must not hate it that badly. But I really kinda do.
My first pregnancy was pretty easy. I was young, strong, and relatively healthy. But the labor was awful – long and exhausting, and I hemorrhaged afterward. Every pregnancy afterward got increasingly more difficult with hemorrhaging and awful back labor. By number four I was on bed rest the entire last trimester, and I had two seizures (we still don’t know why). When I found out I was pregnant with number five, I felt I had good reason to be nervous.
Nevertheless, my family prayed away my worries, and despite struggling with symphysis pubis dysfunction for over half the pregnancy, I was never put on bedrest, and my labor was the fastest and easiest of all – with no hemorrhaging! The midwife actually didn’t make it to the birth and my husband walked into the living room just in time to catch my daughter as she came out!
Even though number five was a miracle pregnancy/labor for me, when we found out I was pregnant again 16 months later, I cried for a good three days out of nervousness and fear.
Pregnancy number 6. . . or 8.
As I struggled through the unpredictable “morning” sickness during the beginning of the first trimester and discovered my sudden aversion to butternut squash, my acceptance of this new life began to grow. Of course it helped that my kids were ecstatic about having another sibling (they’re so wonderful). My 4-year old was convinced that she was pregnant, too, and my 8-year old happily announced that the baby was a girl, and we would name her Patience.
But toward the end of week 11, everything changed. I began to randomly get awful cramps, and started spotting. Since I’d been through both those things with most of my other pregnancies (leading up to bedrest), I decided to cut back on nursing my 1-year old and try to stay off my feet more.
Neither of those things helped. The bleeding and cramping got worse and by the time I reached 12 weeks I knew the truth: this little one was not going to make it.
The hardest miscarriage.
Now, I’d had two miscarriages before: one vanishing twin during pregnancy #2, and another miscarriage between kids #2 and #3, but this was unlike either of them. My first two miscarriages were very early – only about 4 or 5 weeks – and fairly painless and quick, more like a period. With this miscarriage I actually felt like I was in labor.
As I lay in a fetal position on my bed, I desperately tried to get ahold of my midwife, but to no avail. I cried out to God to send someone to help me, and was finally able to connect with a doula friend through Facebook (good ol’ FB). She put me in touch with a retired midwife she knew who just so happened to be in town visiting. What a blessing.
By the time I talked with this midwife, I was pretty sure the baby was gone. Unfortunately, I had also developed a fever and was beginning to worry that I had retained some of the placenta. Instead of praying and remaining calm, my mind immediately went to the worse possible thing: raging infection and unavoidable D&C. While I praise Jesus for all the medical advances humanity has made in the last 100 years, D&C is one I would rather not have to take advantage of.
With the help of the midwife and my doula friend, I was able to safely and naturally pass the placenta, control the fever, and begin the process of physically healing. Since I had lost so much blood I became quite weak and anemic. Thankfully I was able to supplement with a good iron tincture and real foods and get back on my feet.
6 Ways to Naturally Heal from a Miscarriage.
Now that you know my story, let’s get to the practical steps of healing from a miscarriage. My first two miscarriages were quick and easy and required practically no down time for my body to heal, but the farther along in a pregnancy you are, the more healing your body is going to need after a miscarriage. I’m not saying you absolutely have to go to the ER or anything, just please don’t try and do it alone.
I’m sure there have been thousands of women throughout the years who bravely and strongly suffered through a miscarriage on their own, but you don’t have to. Even if you want to handle the miscarriage as naturally as possible (which I’m assuming you do, or you won’t be here) make sure you have some sort of medical support in case of emergency, whether it’s your doctor, midwife, or doula.
Photo credit pixabay.com.
#1: Herbs are your friends.
Like I mentioned, I’m really thankful for hospitals and their emergency procedures, but I’m one of those old-school crunchy moms who likes to do things as naturally as possible, if possible. I believe that God gave us everything he created (in it’s original form) for our own wellbeing. There is so much natural goodness out there for health and healing. Some of the herbs I used to help complete and heal my miscarriage are:
Yarrow
Even though yarrow promotes circulation, it works wonders when it comes to curbing heavy bleeding. It also strengthens and tightens tissues, making it excellent for recovering from a miscarriage. I used yarrow in the tincture form to help to move the miscarriage along. If you can’t get it in tincture, an herbal infusion, or at least a strong tea, would be good as well. I like to buy my herbs in bulk, here’s some good quality yarrow.
Black cohosh
This was my first choice in herbs when I realized I needed help passing all of the tissue from my miscarriage. Black cohosh is a strong anti-inflammatory herb that helps promote healthy blood flow to the pelvic area and relaxes the uterus, thus helping to reduce uterine pain and spasms and move the miscarriage along. It is also a good idea to use black cohosh for a few weeks after the miscarriage in order to tone the pelvic floor muscles and regulate your menstrual cycle once it returns. I like to take black cohosh in the tincture form.
Note: since black cohosh does such a good job of promoting blood flow to clean out the uterus, it’s a good idea to use it in tangent with yarrow, to make sure you don’t bleed too much.
Red raspberry leaf
I’ve been in love with red raspberry leaf since my first pregnancy, and have been drinking it as a tea ever since. It’s full of calcium, magnesium, iron, selenium, and vitamins A & C. It also helps strengthen and tone the pelvic muscles, including the uterus. Red raspberry leaf can also help to prevent hemorrhaging or excessive bleeding. Here’s the red raspberry leaf I get.
Maca root
I’m relatively new to maca, but found it helpful in calming my hormones during and after miscarriage. While it’s not a hormone, maca helps to nourish and stimulate the pituitary gland, and in doing so balances the entire endocrine system. This is the maca root tincture I use.
#2: Pump some iron (inside of you).
In any miscarriage that is farther along than just a few weeks, you will probably lose a lot of blood. Not as much as a full-term pregnancy, but more than a period (in my experience). And any time you lose a lot of blood you’ll need to replenish the iron your body will be missing. Eating good, iron-rich foods (like whole grains – gluten-free ones, of course – leafy greens, green smoothies) and supplementing with alfalfa, chlorophyl, and grass-fed liver are wonderful ways to give your body the iron that it needs. I also recommend taking iron in an herbal supplement or tincture form.
Here are a few of my favorite ways to get greens into my diet:
- Simple Green Salad with Leftover Turkey and Homemade Ranch
- Paleo Copy-Cat Chick-fil-A Salad (pictured above)
- Chipotle Lime Tuna Quinoa Wraps
- Paleo Chocolate Peppermint Frosty
- Spinach & Garlic Meatballs in the Instant Pot
- Beef & Kale Soup in the Instant Pot
#3: Massage.
This is one thing I learned through all my post-labor hemorrhaging. Massage is one of your best friends. Firmly massaging your uterus will help it contract, expelling any remaining placenta or tissue and helping your uterus return to its normal shape.
Massaging key pressure points on your hands and feet will also help with contracting, if you are struggling to release all the miscarried tissue. Gently massage your ankles and hand. When you get to a point that hurts, dig in and rub!
If you don’t have a friend/partner to massage your uterus or hands and feet, you can easily do it yourself, and you should – frequently.
Photo credit pixabay.com.
#4: REST.
As a mom who has five kids running around most hours of the day, I know that finding time to rest is hard. I’ve also been on complete bedrest for three of my pregnancies and know that being forced to rest is also hard. But as hard as it is, rest is crucial for healing. You might not feel like you need to take it easy, but rest anyway. Drink a lot of water, a tea blend from the herbs mentioned above, eat whole, real, nutrient dense foods, and take a nap.
#5: Talk with someone.
Everything we’ve talked about so far has been promoting physical health, but it’s important to heal emotionally as well. Don’t be afraid to cry, don’t be afraid to be sad. Grief is important and shouldn’t be ignored.
It’s hard to get things out in the open sometimes, but it’s important to let someone know what you’re going through. Healing doesn’t come when we close ourselves off to the world. Don’t listen to the lie that nobody understands. It’s simply not true. I opened up to a few friends after my last miscarriage and found out that miscarriage was more common than I thought. Many of them had gone through terrible miscarriages as well and I found so much encouragement and support through them. I also asked for prayer from a mom group I’m part of, and that offered me spiritual encouragement and strength as well.
#6. Remember.
Last of all, do something to remember the special little one you will never hold, but still never forget. Planting a tree or perennial flowers, writing a letter to keep in a safe place, are all ideas of ways to memorialize your baby. I even have friends who held a funeral for their miscarried baby, with a grave and everything.
While I couldn’t afford a funeral, I chose to remember my baby through art. I sketched out a picture of me handing over the little one to Jesus. When I’m feeling sad, missing the baby I won’t know, I look at the picture and remember that my little one is safe in the arms of Jesus, and I will see him/her someday and love them perfectly.
Whether you’re struggling through a miscarriage, looking for answers, or have a friend who is, I hope you find these tips for naturally healing from a miscarriage helpful.
Pin these tips for naturally healing from a miscarriage for later.
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I am so sorry for your losses Raia. Sending you lots of love for this month and the memories and thoughts it brings. Thank you so much for sharing all of these tips. I’m very much like you and also one of those old-school crunchy mamas, and really appreciative all things natural remedies. This is going to be a very helpful resource for many.
Thank you so much for your encouragement, Emily! I do hope it helps some!
Hi Raia, thank you so much for the post.. Its my first miscarriage and I somehow didn’t like the idea of getting medical procedure done on me. I am inclined to getting it done naturally. Since I am from India, I always have some people around me who have enough advises on anything that’s natural. I have been advised some herbal juices but I don’t know their equivalent names in English.
I still have little tissues left inside and am done with 1 week of miscarriage. I want to take natural ways and wait for one more week.
So I am planning to use black cohosh like you mentioned, can you please tell me how much should be used and in what proportion? Thank you.
I really liked your post and the end portion Remember.. only a mother feels that connect with a missed baby..
I am so sorry for your loss, Neelima. I’m glad you have been able to find natural ways to heal, though. I would recommend taking 1/4 teaspoon (about one milliliter or a dropper full) of the cohosh three times a day. Make sure you are taking some iron-containing herbs or yarrow as well, so that you don’t bleed too much from the cohosh. I hope you heal well.
Such a helpful post Raia. I am sure many will benefit from you sharing your story.
Thank you, Linda! That is my hope. 🙂
Thank you Raia
so very much for this post. It is helping me greatly. Miscarriage 11wks 4 days 🙁 this was pregnancy #5 for me 3 living and one terminal delivery on the birth previous to this one. It has been difficult to find any Natural helpful info at all for a late 1st trimester miscarriage..
I’m so sorry for your losses, Nina. I’m glad you are able to find some help here!
Hello Raía,
Thank you very much for sharing your story. I am sorry to hear about your loss. I had a miscarriage a few days ago at 6 weeks (started) and continued till week 8. Now I am wondering how you guys confirmed the miscarriage was complete. I am trying to avoid unnecessary interventions (I am so worried about it). – Considering all natural approaches-
I also stated feeling pain in my legs just now, not sure that would be normal symptom.
Thanks for your insights,
God bless you,
I’m sorry to hear about your miscarriage, Arlene. I basically knew when I had completed the miscarriage because my body started going back to normal. If you get a fever, chills, anything like that, then the chance of you having retained some placenta or other tissue is high. I would talk to your midwife/doctor in that case for sure. Otherwise, just wait until you stop bleeding. I would say that cramping in the legs is a normal symptom.
I pray you heal well!
Hi Raía,
Thank you so much for all your help. God bless you for being so generous with your time and knowledge. I did not need any medical intervention, I used maca root! It took around 6 weeks 3 days of waiting where I was on and off spotting and some days bleeding.
I continued to use maca root for 4 more weeks and just found out I am pregnant. I wonder if it ok to use during pregnancy?
I am glad that you are doing well! Yes, maca is safe to use during pregnancy!
Thanks for sharing your experience.
By sharing our stories, we help each other!
Yes! I hope others find help through my story!
I wish I could say it has helped me but no just lost mine 4days ago am still in pain
It takes a lot longer than 4 days to heal. Please don’t push yourself, it will only make things worse!
So sorry for your loss. I hope my would-have-been-2-years-old this month Zac was among the welcoming committee in Heaven for your precious little one and they are great friends! My miscarriage was at 14 weeks and ended in a d&c because of retained placenta. He was going to be #7 for us. Healing was really rough. I had LOVED cooking, baking, gardening etc before, but after the miscarriage, I lost all joy in these things and in any creativity period. I had to drag myself through everything. Although I wasn’t what most people would call depressed, I was emotionally dead. A year later I finally went to an N.D. who, amongst other supplements, put me on the homeopathic remedy Sepia. It was a huge game changer. I regained the desire to cook and clean, and just be a real wife and mother, to create and be creative. It helped me come out of the emotional cave and enjoy life again. Only then could I process the grief (I had simply buried it and tried to “forget” it) and move on in a healthy way.
Thanks for all your tips, have never tried Yarrow and I’m a big bleeder, so will DEF be remembering that!
I’m so sorry for your loss, Lea. I’m sure that our little ones are good friends. 😉 And someday we’ll be able to watch them play together.
Also, I’m sorry to hear that you had to go through all that emotional trauma before you were able to get help. I’m so blessed that I had help right off the bat, or I’m sure I’d have been in the same place. Emotional healing was/is hard enough, even when you have good help!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience!
I came across this page after miscarrying at home at almost 18 weeks. I ordered the tinctures but wonder how long I am supposed to take them? I haven’t found any good information on this subject. I have black cohosh, yarrow, maca root. I would appreciate your insight.
I’m sorry for your loss, Lauren. I pray that you are healing well!
I would take the black cohosh until you know you’ve passed everything safely. It can take 2-3 weeks for a miscarriage to be complete, so if you’re not sure if you’re body’s done, just take the cohosh for about that long. The yarrow should be taken as long as you take the cohosh, they work together during a miscarriage. The maca is for your hormones, so you might need to take that a little longer.
You can keep using the yarrow and maca when you begin your menstrual cycle again too, they will help get your cycle back into shape. Take the maca during your ovulation phase, and the yarrow during your follicular phase (when you start bleeding). If you can get the red raspberry leave, that would be good to take during your cycle, as well.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.
Thank you, this is so useful. This has opened my eyes to the world of tinctures. Other than your website, do you have any resources that you recommend to learn more?
As I have completed the miscarriage (had to have an ultrasound to confirm no remains left in my uterus), I have stopped the black cohosh. However, I have quite a bit left still and wanted to make use of it when applicable. I’m not even sure how long they are good for. So many questions! Appreciate you taking the time to help navigate.
I’m so glad you are healing well, Lauren! If stored well (away from heat and direct light) tinctures should be good for around 5 years. As for other places to learn, a good start is just to learn about herbs and what they do. 🙂 The Herbal Academy’s blog is good for that, as well as Aviva Romm’s site, A Better Way to Thrive, and Studio Botanica. 🙂
Very useful article. Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome.
I had a miscarriage and passed most of everything at home with labor and everything. Worst pain I’ve felt in my whole life. They found pieces of tissue left in my uterus so they scheduled me for a D&C. I wanted everything to be natural but I’ve stopped bleeding completely and nothing seems to be coming out. Everyone is so concerned about me getting an infection. I wish there were more resources i could read to make me feel more confident about my choice to naturally let this pass. Love your story and tips. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
I’m so sorry for your loss, Vicky. If you aren’t coming down with a fever or feeling achy or anything like the flu, you probably don’t have an infection. I hope that you are able to pass the rest of the tissue naturally! Even now, some of the herbs may help…
Thank you for sharing both your story and your advice with the herbal suggestions. I am so thankful to have found your article but so very sorry for that it was a needed journey for you, and for me. I did have a question about dosage, I realize that herbal dosage varies for each individual but I was just wondering if you could share the dosages you used for each item. Thank you!
I’m so glad to hear you found the article helpful, Davina. I’m sorry for your loss.
For the yarrow, cohosh, and maca, I took them in tincture form, 3-4 dropperfuls a day. I only took the cohosh until I felt that I had passed all the tissue, but the yarrow and maca I took for about a month, to help regulate my hormones.
As far as the raspberry leaf, I used the loose leaf herb and make a strong tea out of it. I drank about a quart a day.
Hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Thank you so much for this post. It’s SO HARD to miscarry (been there). This is great advice.
You’re so welcome. I hope it helps many mommas out there!
Oh Raia – I’m so sorry about everything you’ve been through. This is a raw and honest article. I’ve had a dear friend go through this who will benefit from reading it. Thank you for sharing such a powerful story with us.
Thank you, Daniela! I shared it with the hope that other women would find healing and peace through it.
I am going through my second miscarriage at 9 weeks, first one ended at 12wks. I don’t have any living children. One week after I am still in so much pain dealing with left over tissue. I have never gotten past the morning sickness part of pregnancy so the whole experience has been horrid for me as there was no light at the end of the tunnel. I really don’t know what to do or if i’ll ever have a child. I just don’t know how to get over this. Every time I go to sleep, I dread waking up to deal with all of this.
I’m SO sorry I just saw this, Tonia. I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s quite heartbreaking. I hope you are doing better now, health-wise. I pray you have been able to find comfort and hope.
Thank you for the article. Just gone through a miscarriage 5 days ago at 14 weeks. This was baby #4 …I went through the medical process and though most of the tissue didn’t come out after the labor process, they had to remove them manually by hand which was quite uncomfortable. The gynaecologist through a scan said that everything was out but I passed some out this morning and am worried that I might still have more. I have been having bad headaches and two days ago had a flu. Could I be getting an infection? I was given antibiotics which will end tomorrow.
I’m SO sorry that I didn’t see this until now, Joyce! I hope you are healing well, physically. Were you able to find any herbs to help?
Thank you for this post. I miscarried my first at 11 weeks, had 3 babies after make it, and just lost my most recent baby yesterday at 17 weeks. Being further along made me want to check on how I could be proactive in my healing, and your article has been most helpful. While I didn’t get to know the two I lost, I do think it’s wonderful that they know each other. God is so great, and my broken heart rejoices that I will meet these little people one day.
Yes, I hold on to that hope, too, Jenny! I’ll be praying that you heal well, in all areas. I’m so glad you found this post helpful!
Ive been through of this miscarriage in about almost 12,,,ended to d & c,as still lots of tissue fragments letf as im having leg cramps.its been so hard times..as my 1st pregnancy after waiting for 4 1/2 yrs trying to concieve..i cant still imagine wht it happened to my little one…thanks for your story it helps me also while reading your story,
I’m so sorry for your loss. I will be praying that you heal completely, physically. I know that emotionally we may never completely heal, but it is good to remember our babies. I’m so glad to help by sharing.
Hi thanks for sharing your history, it’s a very difficult moment but always the God’s plans are better than ours. I’m in the 9 weeks but baby heartbeat stopped at 6 weeks. I hope for my body respond soon. I am a faithful servant of Jesus and he is my refuge. I see you got your baby number 6, congratulations you are so blessed!!! How long do you waited to get pregnant again after your miscarriage?
I’m so sorry for your loss, Marie. You are right, God’s plans are always better. I waited about 9 months after my miscarriage to get pregnant again. Mostly to make sure my body was completely healed. If you aren’t as far along and you are able to pass all the tissue safely and without any issues then there shouldn’t be any reason why you couldn’t try again as soon as you get your cycle back.
Hi RAIA I’ve been told that I’m having a threatening miscarriage, the doctor suggested I wait at home eventually it will be a miscarriage ,pain come and go I’m bleeding like a menstruation,but my breast are no longer hard
I’m so sorry you’re going through this, Annie. I hope you heal quickly and throat these tips help.
Raia, thank you for this article, and providing women with alternative options. I miscarried at 12 weeks but the gestational development stopped around 8 weeks. I miscarried naturally at home as I did not feel comfortable with medical treatments considering I was not that far along. It was one of the most difficult things I have been through in my life. When I went to the doctor a week after I miscarried, they told me that there was still a small amount of tissue left but my cervix had closed. I felt they were pressuring me to a D&C or Misoprostol to remove the remaining tissue. I have no signs of flu or infection and am still lightly bleeding with some clots. I thought my body should know what to do and continue to process everything. I scheduled another ultrasound for 1 week later (2 weeks post miscarriage) to see if any improvement in the size of the tissue left. Do you think it’s ok to continue down this natural path? I have picked up the herbs that you recommended and have been taking them for a few days, hopeful it will help me to continue supporting my body’s natural process. Not sure when I should consider this really a risk?
I’m sorry for your loss. I’m not a doctor. but my understanding is that if there is any infection your body will tell you with a fever. I would continue with the herbs for a week and then reevaluate how you are feeling. If you see any signs of infection you should see a doctor or midwife, but otherwise I would just keep on using the herbs. You can take the cohosh for up to six months (though you probably won’t need to) and the other herbs can be taken indefinitely. I pray you pass the tissue safely!
Raia,
Again I want to thank you for sharing your difficult story and want to provide my condolences for your losses as I neglected to do so before. Your story gave me hope and a light in a time of darkness. I wanted to share with you that my faith in God to guide me and belief in my body to do what it was designed to do as well as your article helped me to successfully complete a natural miscarriage. At my second ultrasound after the miscarriage, the tissue was no longer there and while the uterine lining was thick and still needed to shed naturally, I was elated to have avoided medical treatment. The news restored my positive outlook and we look forward to trying again as I give my body ample time to finish healing. Thank you thank you thank you
I’m so grateful to hear this, Sara! Praise Jesus for His mercy and healing on your body. I will keep you in prayer as you continue to heal and try again. I was blessed to be able to get pregnant again about 9 months after my miscarriage and now have a happy and healthy 1 year old. 🙂
Raia,
Thank you for writing this article and for sharing your pain so others can also try what worked for you.
I was just diagnosed again with a miscarriage at 12 weeks. The first time this happened between our 1st and 2nd child, I was only about 6 weeks along. This time I thought I’d wait until after the ‘danger’ of the 1st trimester. But apparently at my age and for whatever reason it didn’t matter. I am heartbroken. I thought God was giving us another chance for a baby. I seem to see and hear babies everywhere too.. It seems so cruel and is difficult to believe this is for our benefit somehow.
I did get the herbs you mentioned. I started taking them yesterday and things are moving along but slowly.. How long can it take for the miscarriage to complete? I am taking Black Cohash as well as Maca tinctures and the yarrow will arrive tomorrow, so I will begin very strong tea then. I have been taking 1 mL of each three times a day. Should I up the dose or just wait and try to be patient.
Thank you for your story and for your compassion for all of us who suffer this way also.
I am so sorry for your loss, Eliza. I know that it can seem so bleak, but God is still with you and working through this. As far as the dosage, I would continue on the 1 mL 3x day. It can take about a week for the miscarriage to complete, and then you may still bleed like you’ve had your period for a little while. Just be patient and rest as much as possible. I will be keeping you in prayer!
Thank you so much for the prayers.. God bless you Raia
I’m experiencing my 3rd miscarriage now. Each time has been different. First one was about 4-5 weeks along, felt extra crampy and lower-back pain for a few hours, then it passed naturally. I never even went in for a checkup. Next time I started spotting at 12 weeks and went in; doctor said no heartbeat and based on size, baby had stopped developing around 8 weeks. I waited for 6 weeks before experiencing a mini-labor and the baby passed naturally. This time around 4-5 weeks I started spotting and as the bleeding increased I realized I was miscarrying… I’ve gone in a couple times for ultrasounds and after 6 weeks of what is like a light-medium period, there is still some remaining tissue. Dr recommends a D and C but I am still hoping that with time the rest will naturally pass and I will naturally heal. All that to say, how long it will last can really vary….
Yes, Ruth, that is so true. Each experience can be as different as each woman. I pray your miscarriage will pass naturally and that rest and the herbs will help. I’m sorry for your losses.
Hi Raia,
My 7 weeks pregnancy was not viable so I took medication as per Dr’s advice. But I am not sure if I pass everything. I donot want to do D & C . So I took black Cohosh last night. So how long do I have to take it?
Thanks for the help.
Do you have any symptoms of retained placenta? Such as fever, aches, etc.? I would take the cohosh for about a week to make sure everything is passed. It would be good for you to try and get some yarrow, as well.
I have been giving misoprostol 2 times already and doctor told me to take them different ways but it is not working at all it only make me bleed but no tissue has passed and I already had a dc before which I refuse to get unless is an emergency. Thank you for your tips will go today to buy and hoping this helps.. this has been so hard physically and emotionally and it feels good to know that other woman who have gone through this supports us all.. thank you for being one of them god bless you..
I’m so sorry for your loss, Stephanie, and for all the pain you’ve been in. I’m praying the herb and other tips help you and that you are able to heal quickly!
Hi, I am going thru a miscarriage at 6 weeks, I can I take raspberry leaf tea now or wait sit til after the miscarriage is complete?
You can definitely start taking it now.
My spontaneous abortion on 9th July it was my first misscariage.. 11th week pregnancy..On 8th July night whole night I can’t sleep because of pain and at morning 5 o’ clock heavy clotting came out and we rush to hospital because baby with plancenta came out.. After that everything will be ok… Doctor said that it will 99% chances that no clotting will be left but 1% chances in which it will left.. My bleeding still come for sometimes and automatically.. Is that ok?
Yes, it is normal to keep bleeding for at least a week after a miscarriage. I’m sorry for your loss and I hope you heal quickly!
I really have to thank you so much for sharing this interesting experience. Though am a man, puting my self in your shoes tells of the odds you’ve gone through. However, this issue is very common arround me and i will consult you each time they occur. Once again, a million thanks !
Thank you so much for this information. Currently going through a natural method of miscarriage and it was so difficult to find natural remedies to help with this process. Appreciate all of your wisdom here and I ordered all of your recommended products. Here’s to hoping I can achieve positive results and heal physically and mentally from this loss. Xoxo.
You’re so welcome, Lauren! I pray that you heal well!
Hi Raia
Thanks for your post.
I was reading it yesterday as I was waiting for my appointment with a gynae. And he said what I dreaded the most ‘you’ll need D&C as you have retained tissue’. I was 7 weeks along and my family thinks I’m crazy for wanting to go the natural way.
I got some black Cohosh yesterday afternoon, I couldn’t find yarrow in the same store I was at so I’ll search again today for it.
I would just like to find out if what is your take on using Aloe Ground along with Black Cohosh?
Tjanks
I am sorry for your loss! Did the doctor say why he thought you needed a D&C to remove the tissue? Are you experiencing any fever, chills, etc.? I hope you are able to find the yarrow. If you can’t find it in an herb/supplement store, you should be able to get it online.
I am not sure what you mean by aloe ground? Maybe it’s a typo? Aloe is wonderful for pain and inflammation, but it won’t necessarily do the same thing yarrow will. I will not say don’t take aloe, because I’m sure it will help with pain, but keep looking for yarrow, too!
Hi Raia
Thank you so much for sharing this information, it’s so useful.
I had a blighted ovum miscarriage and opted to go the natural route and almost everything was cleared but I have a little retained products and as such my period hasn’t returned. I have got black cohosh in capsule form and yarrow in tincture. How much of each would you recommend? Each black Cohosh capsule is 80mg.
I’m praying this will help to release all that’s left and return my period.
How long has it been since you miscarried? As for dosage, you can take 1ml. of yarrow up to 4 times a day. It is safe to take up to 1,600 mg of black cohosh a day. I would probably start with half a daily limit of each and if nothing happens you could try a little more until you get to the daily limit. I’m praying it helps!
Thank you so much for your quick response.
What I thought was my period was 6 weeks after the miscarriage and the bleeding totally stopped. But then 3 weeks after that I passed a little more tissue and while abdominal scan revealed nothing left after that, a trans vaginal scan showed a little remaining which I believe can all be passed with a period. There’s been no sign of infection so Iv wanted to give my body time and trust in its process but reading about the herbs made me feel like it’s something I can do in line with trusting and healing, so thank you again so much.
I’ll try 3 capsules 3 times a day for the black cohosh (totalling 720mg per day) and your recommended dosage for yarrow. I’m glad to be able to do/take something natural to support both my body’s healing and my fertility journey.
Thanks again and abundant blessings to you.
Hi again.
One more thing, the black cohosh that was available here (the NOW brand) is mixed with Don quai which Iv read is great for balancing hormones. Is it still a good combination for clearing?
Sorry I just saw this! Yes, I think that should still be fine. 🙂
Raia I had to come back and thank you so so much. I took the yarrow and black cohosh as you advised. About a week after starting, some tissue released. Had spotting a few days after then more bleeding which I believe was another period. Blood test confirmed Hcg is fully back down. I’m so grateful. It was a long journey but I’m so glad I chose the natural route and gave my body time to do what it needed to do. I’m so glad God led me to your site. Be blessed always
Praise Jesus! I’m so glad that you’re healing, Priscilla! Thank you so much for stopping back in and letting me know.
Thank you for sharing your story, it’s so helpful to women who are or have gone through the tragedy of miscarriage. Especially those of us wanting safe natural options.
I’m in the stage of waiting for my miscarriage to start. I found out at my 15 week prenatal last week that our baby passed and 13 weeks 5 days. This is my second miscarriage in 2 years, and my last chance of pregnancy. I have 3 living children.
Can I ask why you didn’t pair Blue Cohosh with the Black Cohosh? Aviva Romm recommends paring the two together and so does famous herbalist Susan Weed. According to her, black cohosh can actually stall labor and blue cohosh creates the contractions while black cohosh counterbalances by calming and pain relief. They work together to get the uterus emptied.
I am so sorry for your loss, Erika!
In my case (which is all I used for this post – I have no clinical experience) I chose black cohosh because, while blue cohosh is very helpful, it is also abortive. I did not have an ultrasound, and I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t actually aborting a living baby. I was 99% sure I’d miscarried at that point, but that is still what drove my decision. I understand that it might seem a little illogical! At that time with all that was going on it was probably a very emotionally-based decision.
I definitely agree with Romm that blue cohosh is helpful. I have taken black and blue cohosh in tandem before at the advice of my midwife. If you chose to use it, I would dose it the same as the blue cohosh and make sure to take it with plenty of yarrow and red raspberry!
Of course I understand your reasoning, as I’m sure everyone reading this feels very similar! It’s so hard to not make fear or emotionally based decisions when you’re losing a baby. It’s one of the most devastating events a mama can go through.
I’m still waiting for my miscarriage to start on it’s own while having all my herbs and remedies on hand. Thankfully I have a good midwife and family doctor who know each other and are supportive of whatever I decide moving forward. The waiting it so difficult and at times scary because you know what’s coming.
I will be praying for peace for you as you go through this. It is so hard! What a blessing that your caretakers are supportive!
Thank you, I really do appreciate the support and kind words!
Hello, please, do you have any more detailed instructions about how to do the massage? Thank you, Lucie
To massage your uterus, make a fist with your hand and knead your uterus (between your pelvic bones and beneath your belly button). It will probably be very sore. Try and work your way up to doing it for about 5 minutes.
The pressure points on your hands are the fleshy part between your thumb and your pointer finger, and on your feet on the back of your ankle between your ankle bones. Also right above your heel and right below the ball of your foot are good to rub. This will also probably hurt, so don’t be afraid of that.
thank you
Hi I had my miscarriage at 6 weeks and 4 days. I started to have spotting during my first pre natal. There was no heartbeat yet. I was told it was still normal, still early ,nothing to worry and to come back a week or two after. Although I have read and the doctor told spotting is normal I still feel that at least she should have examined me further, no pelvic exam. This was my first pregnancy ever. No blood works too, told we would do it once heartbeat is detected.
When I was home it progressed to mild bleeding then later on with moderate to severe cramps. I tried to call the clinic and raised my concern but refused to let me talk to my doctor. The following day I begged to let me talk to my doctor even for just 2 minutes only but I felt no one cared. I called again and I was told to see her in her clinic. I ended up later on in ER because the cramps were so severe and i felt i am going to collapse anytime.
I was seen by physician’s assistant did pelvic exam and removed big blood clot. Then I was totally relieved but after the transV it was confirmed that i lost my baby. I should have a follow up with my OBgyne after 3-5 days but because I felt neglected I cancelled my check up. Since May 27 the day I miscarriage to June 09 I bleed like my period but it was min to moderate even a little less than my normal period but with fine small stringy blood and with very mild to no pain at all. I never had episode of heavy bleeding. When I read your article I was almost 2 weeks post miscarriage and bleeding stopped already. But I still purchased most of items you suggested. But now I am reluctant to take the yarrow and black cohosh because I am afraid I might conceive again because I have contact with my partner when bleeding had stopped. Since these two causes uterine contraction and will help passed the remaining blood clots from uterus. Am I right? I know I should have waited at least 1-3 cycles of period before trying again or try to rest for awhile but we read and watch videos of success pregnancy right after miscarriage and we want so badly to have baby considering our age. I am 35 already and he is 41. I just hope and pray that I passed all the blood from my miscarriage since bleeding has stopped and I dont have any pain or cramps even fever. I started to consume the Raspberry tea, Alfalfa and planning to take the maca root. Will those 3 safe for pregnancy if ever I am consuming it continously and not aware yet that i conceived already.
Please advised me.
Thank you for your article, for sharing your experience. For helping many people who suffered this kind of lost also. It does not really matter at all how early or far are your pregnancy. It really hurts a lot from deep within. I tried to be positive and even wrote a letter for my unborn child and told how much we love him/her. That we will not hold on him/her for so long for we don’t want to dwell in sadness for a long time. But still up to this time I cried whenever I see or hear something that reminds me of having a baby.
Thank you and God bless you and your family.
I am so sorry for your loss, Krys. I am glad to hear that you seem to be healing well, though! If there is a possibility of pregnancy I would definitely not take the cohosh and yarrow. The red raspberry and maca are safe to take during pregnancy, though, so you do not have to worry about taking them now. They will help you continue to heal. 🙂 I hope that you will be able to have a healthy, full-term pregnancy soon! Blessings!
Thank you for your kind reply. I definitely did not take the black cohosh and yarrow even I purchased it. Thank your for confirming that as well as taking the maca and raspberry tea. Thank you too for your very kind empathy to everyone who had lost their little angel.
God bless you more.
Hello, Thank you for sharing your story. I was wondering about your 2nd baby and vanishing twin mc. Did you end up having a baby with that pregnancy? I recently had a miscarriage- last Wednesday and would be 7 weeks Monday, and thought my pregnancy was over but still have terrible nausea that has actually gotten worse since my miscarriage. Any thoughts? I’m worried not all the tissue has passed, but could I still be pregnant? Thank you.
I am sorry for your loss, Rachel! With my second pregnancy I did carry the other baby to full term. With your current situation, do you have any signs of an infection, like fever, chills, etc.? If not I would not worry about retained tissue. Is there a history of twins in your family? Other than still being nauseous, do you have any reason to think you would still be pregnant? If you have no signs of infection, I would personally just wait and see, but if you are worried you might want to talk to a midwife or doctor about it. If you think you might be pregnant still, I would not take any of the cohosh or yarrow as recommended for helping pass all the tissue after a miscarriage. But the maca and red raspberry would still be beneficial for you.
Hello Raia,
I am so sorry for your loss and am thankful to come across your blog. I just found out yesterday I am going through a silent miscarriage at approx 9-12 weeks 🙁 and desperately want to avoid a D&C. They never found a heartbeat at 8.5 weeks, but then I returned at 10-weeks and they saw a fetal pole and yolk sac, so I waited another 2-weeks, quite a bit of waiting but here I am now :(. I have been reading and re-reading through all the comments to figure out what to do.
-If I take the Blue Cohosh in tandem with the Black Cohosh, what would be the dosages there?
-Yarrow: I am getting the tea you recommended, but do I also take the tincture, or do you advise the tincture over the tea?
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Do I only start the yarrow, raspberry leaf tea, and iron supplements *after* I start to bleed, but not before? I’m so nervous to try this out but know I will regret unless I do give it a try!
Thank you so much for all that you are doing to help go this the natural route and sharing with others!!
I’m sorry for your loss, Kris. Unless your doctor is pushing for a D&C by a certain date (which you can always say no to) I would probably wait until you start bleeding to take either of the cohosh, especially if you’re planning on using blue cohosh. Blue can cause miscarriage, and I always held on to the hope that a miracle would happen! But if you know in your spirit the baby is gone, then there should be no worries in taking either cohosh at this point. But please make sure you take the yarrow with them! You don’t want to bleed too much.
I would dose both the cohosh the same, and just take them together with the yarrow.
You can take the iron and raspberry now, regardless of whether or not you’re taking cohosh or yarrow. But by the time you’re bleeding you should be taking all four of the herbs to ensure proper uterine tone, control of blood loss, and proper healing.
I like your pregnancy tips. That sounds really difficult. I hope my wife doesn’t miscarry.
Hi Raia,
Thank you!! I had some more questions and am so thankful for your advice.
-Does minimal spotting count as bleeding (answer to some prayers in the past few days!!), or would I need to wait until there is actual bleeding as in a steady flow?
-So sadly, it has been confirmed for the past month of 3-ultrasounds that there is no hope and it is an official miscarriage :((
-Do you recommend a yarrow tincture over the yarrow tea? Would you have a link tot the tincture you recommend?
-Would you only do this with a midwife? I’m currently looking for one to help but haven’t found one yet who can help with the herbs, praying!
I don’t necessarily think you need a midwife, as long as you aren’t showing signs of infection or anything (fever, aches, chills, vomiting, etc.). But it would be good to have one you know you can call, just in case. You could also look for a doula, if you can’t find a midwife. I will pray with you that you can find one to help!
As far as the spotting, that is usually how my miscarriages started. But the actual miscarriage will feel more like a heavy period or even labor. You will probably bleed for about a week, at least.
I do recommend tinctures over teas for “emergencies” because they are more concentrated and therefore work a little faster. I’m linking to two tinctures from companies I recommend. Either one will be good.
Hawaii Pharm
https://amzn.to/3CwQQlS
Herb Pharm
https://amzn.to/3Eq8TL0
Thank you, I appreciate your advice, tips, and recommendations from the bottom of my heart. And especially your prayers! I’m bleeding some more (tmi), but this is giving me hope, as I wasn’t sure I could go through this again (TTC after this experience), but day by day if I can get through this, gives me hope!
Hello, thank you so much for sharing your experience! I had a chemical miscarriage 5 weeks ago they gave me misoprostol to finish expelling the pregnancy. Here I am 5 weeks later still bleeding and having blood clots I have been back to the doctor they did an ultrasound to make sure I passed the pregnancy and I have but they are worried I still have retained products in there and mentioned a D&C and that terrified me. My question is should I try and take the Yarrow and Black Cohosh to see if I can pass this naturally? I really don’t want to have to go in and get a d&c!
Yes, I would definitely try taking the yarrow and black cohosh. They won’t hurt you, so it’s worth a try. I’m sorry you’re having to go through this, and I pray that the herbs help you heal.
How much would you recommend? I’m going through the same and have the extract, not the tincture. The meds they recommend make me feel so sick.
I don’t have any info on using an extract differently than a tincture. I would just start with 1/8 teaspoon 3x a day for 24-48 hours to make sure it’s not too strong for you, then work your way up to a 1/4 teaspoon 3x a day.