How to Heal
Post Pregnancy Loss + Release
Pregnancy Release: What I Wish I Knew
There’s so much we aren’t told about abortion — not just the procedure itself, but the quiet, tender days that follow. As with birth, there is a postpartum. There’s a hormonal drop, a tidal wave of emotion, and a deep need for support — one that too often goes unmet.
No one told me how I’d feel afterwards. The grief and the relief — both showing up at once like old friends I didn’t expect to see together. It’s complex. It’s real. And it deserves to be honored.
Whether you’ve walked this path yourself or are supporting someone through it, I want to share what I wish I had known — the truth that pregnancy release, like birth, invites care, rest, and reverence.
The Unspoken Postpartum
Just because there’s no baby in arms doesn’t mean your body and heart don’t go through something massive. The hormonal crash is real. I felt weepy, drained, and emotionally raw — not unlike the third day after giving birth. And yet, no one prepared me for this part.
You’ll want to treat this experience as a mini-postpartum. Not because it's the same, but because your body and spirit are still worthy of care, ritual, and nourishment.
For the Maidens and Mothers Alike
I grieve for the maidens — those who experience abortion without ever knowing the postpartum that follows. I ache for the ones who walk this path alone, without being told that rest and community are necessary.
The clinic I went to was professional, compassionate, and prepared me well for the medical process. But once it was over? There was nothing. No guidance, no follow-up, no care for the days that came after. Sound familiar?
In Edmonton, at least, you’re not allowed to bring a support person to the clinic. If you're having an abortion, whether it’s a D&C or a medical abortion, you will walk in alone. That reality is heavy — and it's something I want others to be prepared for.
Sometimes you’ll have to wait days or even weeks for your appointment, and that waiting can feel agonizing. For me, I had two weeks of morning sickness and exhaustion while I waited. It was hard — even knowing I was making the right decision for myself.
Let me be clear: 1 in 4 women will receive an abortion in her lifetime. Whether it’s a personal choice or a life-saving one — it matters. You matter. And your decision deserves to be met with trust, not shame.
Holistic Support After Abortion or Miscarriage
Whether you have miscarried or medically released a pregnancy, here's how I supported myself, and how you might, too.
1. Feel your feelings.
Grief, gratitude, clarity, confusion — let it all come. Journal. Talk. Cry. Laugh. Be held by those who understand. Story-sharing is medicine. It normalizes what society has tried to shame.
2. Call in your people.
Even though the clinic won’t let them in, find someone to be with you afterward. I stayed with my mom for two days, and it made all the difference. She cooked nourishing meals, brought pads when I needed them, and simply held me.
3. Prepare like it’s a postpartum.
You're not "back to normal" the next day. You’ll likely bleed heavily. You may cramp. You’ll feel tender. So please — rest. Cancel what you can. Watch cozy movies. Wear soft clothes. Say no. Be in a cocoon.
4. Create comfort.
While you can’t bathe for a few days, warm showers and heating pads are healing allies. Herbal teas, broths, porridge, and grounding foods will help your body recover. Avoid lifting. Stay hydrated. Consider wearing Depends — seriously.
5. Herbal allies for recovery:
- Dong Quai for hormone balance and uterine healing
- Cramp Bark for easing contractions during the abortion and comforting afterpains
- Jujube Date for blood tonifying, nourishing and calming
- Nettles in tea or blanched for iron and mineral rich nourishment
- Rose for heart-healing and softness
- Warming Spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cardamom
6. Food is medicine.
Focus on protein-rich meals, iron-dense foods, oats, stews, bone broths, and warming meals that bring you back into your body.
Drink this in your aftercare
Uterine tonics such as Nettles and Red Raspberry Leaf are classic womb supportive, nutrient dense brews used for thousands of years to support women through their childbearing years and beyond. Nettles, one of my absolute favorite herbs, is in itself akin to a multivitamin- rich in iron, vitamin K, protein, calcium, magnesium, trace minerals and so much more- nettles help to rebuild blood and nutrient stores. Red Raspberry Leaf is an astringent uterine tonic, helping to bring tone, strength and circulation to uterine muscle and tissue. It assists in both remedying scanty and heavy bleeding and improving blood flow overall. You will find both of these herbs in my two favorite womb health elixirs- Moon Magic (created for nourishing your moontime!) and my Harmonizing Tea- a blend of adaptogens, raspberry leaves, and warming womb botanicals.
to help your hormones rebuild
Vitex Berry has a history in herbal medicine as a hormone regulator, especially in providing relief to PMS symptoms. While Vitex does not contain any active hormones itself, it has shown to act on the pituitary gland to regulate LH (luteinizing hormone), prolactin, estrogen and progesterone. This botanical has proven its efficacy in many clinical trials to treat PMS symptoms as well as regulating menstrual cycles and hormone imbalances. You can find Vitex Berry in my Balance Drops, a herbal tincture of potent plant medicines that bring balance and nourishment to the womb and moon cycles.
Cramp Bark
Help curb cramping with Cramp Bark. This is my absolute go-to for helping manage painful cramping. Cramp Bark, as the name suggests, is a anti-spasmodic herb that helps soothe tense and painful uterine contractions in both menses and post partum. A tincture is the best way to use this herb, as the bark would have to be boiled for a minimum 15 minutes to have a potent enough effect. Drop the tincture under the tongue at 20-30 drops every 15 minutes until the cramps subside. Cramp Bark is also one of the leading ingredients in our Balance Womb Wand, a herbal oil roll on for your pelvic area and lower back.
Shop the look
Whether you’ve made this choice — for yourself, your family, your future — or if you're grieving a loss, know this:
You are sovereign. You are sacred. You are not alone.
Your story is welcome here. Your body is wise. And no matter how society tries to silence this experience, we reclaim it through softness, the truth and validity in our stories and in sisterhood.
For more information and free resources surrounding abortion in Alberta and beyond, please visit www.abforabortion.com
With love and reverence,
Lauren LaRose, Founder of Wild Roses Apothecary
