Pregnancy Loss Support
Your Grief Is Valid. Your Baby Matters.
Whether you lost your baby at 6 weeks or 36 weeks, whether it was your first pregnancy or fifth, your loss is real and deserves to be honored. In a world that often minimizes pregnancy loss, we provide the specialized support you need to grieve, heal, and eventually hope again.
Understanding Pregnancy Loss Grief
Society often doesn't recognize pregnancy loss as "real" grief. You might hear:
- • "At least you know you can get pregnant"
- • "Everything happens for a reason"
- • "At least it was early"
- • "You can try again"
But you didn't lose a pregnancy. You lost a baby. A future. A dream.
Your grief is valid whether:
- • It was 5 weeks or full term
- • You'd been trying for years or it was unexpected
- • It's your first loss or fifth
- • You have living children or not
- • Others knew or didn't know
- • You saw the heartbeat or didn't
Every Loss Deserves Support
Early Pregnancy Loss
- • Chemical pregnancies
- • Miscarriage (before 20 weeks)
- • Blighted ovum
- • Missed miscarriage
- • Ectopic pregnancy
- • Molar pregnancy
Late Pregnancy Loss
- • Stillbirth (after 20 weeks)
- • Terminal diagnosis/TFMR
- • Cord accidents
- • Placental abruption
- • Incompetent cervix
- • Preterm labor
Recurrent Loss
- • Multiple miscarriages
- • Secondary infertility after loss
- • IVF losses
- • Unexplained recurrent loss
Related Trauma
- • D&C/D&E procedures
- • Emergency surgery
- • NICU loss
- • Pregnancy after loss anxiety
What Makes This Grief Different
Disenfranchised Grief
- • Others don't recognize your loss
- • No funeral or rituals
- • Returning to work immediately
- • Expectation to "move on quickly"
Ambiguous Loss
- • Grieving someone you never met
- • Lost future and dreams
- • Identity confusion (am I a mother?)
- • No memories to hold onto
Physical Trauma
- • Your body reminds you daily
- • Hormonal crashes
- • Milk coming in with no baby
- • Empty womb, empty arms
Isolation
- • Friends don't know what to say
- • Pregnant people everywhere
- • Social media is triggering
- • Partner grieves differently
Specialized Pregnancy Loss Therapy
Creating Space for Grief
- • Permission to grieve fully
- • Honoring your baby's existence
- • Rituals and memorialization
- • Telling your story
- • Naming and knowing your baby
Processing Trauma
- • EMDR for traumatic loss experiences
- • Medical trauma from procedures
- • Birth trauma from stillbirth
- • Emergency surgery processing
Managing Triggers
- • Coping with pregnant friends
- • Surviving due dates
- • Handling insensitive comments
- • Social media boundaries
- • Work and social events
Relationship Support
- • Different grieving styles
- • Communication with partner
- • Intimacy after loss
- • Family dynamics
- • Friend relationships
Pregnancy After Loss Support
The Complexity:
- • Excitement mixed with terror
- • Milestone anxiety
- • Hypervigilance about symptoms
- • Guilt about new pregnancy
- • Fear of bonding
- • Trusting your body again
We Help With:
- • Managing anxiety between appointments
- • Bonding with new pregnancy
- • Preparing for triggers
- • Birth planning after loss
- • Postpartum after rainbow baby
You can grieve your lost baby while hoping for another
Signs You Could Benefit
- •Grief feels overwhelming
- •Intrusive thoughts about loss
- •Avoiding pregnancy/baby triggers
- •Relationship strain
- •Anxiety about trying again
- •Feeling stuck or numb
- •Physical symptoms persisting
- •Isolated in your grief
You don't need to be in crisis. Any grief deserves support.
You Don't Have to Grieve Alone
Your baby existed. Your love is real. Your grief is valid. In a world that rushes past pregnancy loss, we stand still with you, honoring your baby and supporting your healing.
Immediate support available
📍 Bucktown, Chicago
💻 Virtual sessions available
📞 (312) 869-2081
✉️ katherine@kmhcounseling.com
Supporting parents through pregnancy loss throughout Chicago and Illinois.