# How long can I wait for a natural miscarriage?



## rockys (Apr 1, 2003)

I found out close to four weeks ago that I was miscarrying. (My DH is a doctor so I had him draw blood on me before there really was a problem. We caught it very early. My HCG numbers continued to go up so slowly and finally started to drop last week.)
My doctor said that he would like me to miscarry naturally but that was almost a month ago. He would be willing to do a D & C the second I ask for one.

I feel really strongly that I want it to happen naturally. My first child was born at 24 weeks. We think it was b/c of a car accident I was in but will never know for sure. My gut tells me why mess around down there if I don't really need to.

Also, and this may sound silly, both of my children were born via c-section and so will any future children. This miscarriage, I want to do on my own unlike the sections.

But, it is really wearing on me...the waiting. I have started to pass one or two small clots a day. But no real bleeding and no cramping.

Can I wait as long as it takes? Are there any risks?

Thanks

Raquel


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## mama-aya (Oct 5, 2003)

Raquel,
I am so sorry that you're going through this. Having a miscarriage is bad enough, but waiting for it to happen is awful.
I don't really have any answers for you as far as how long its safe to wait. I do know that lots of women find out their babies have died several weeks after the fact, and then sometimes still have to wait around for a miscarriage. I also know I'd be getting anxious about it all after waiting for a month- but I'm not a good waiter in the first place.
I think your wanting to do it naturally absolutely makes sense. I had D&C's both times, but I absolutely wish I could go back and do the second miscarriage naturally.
Best wishes to you, good health and good healing.
Yalisha


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## SamuraiEarthMama (Dec 3, 2002)

hello, rockys. i can understand wanting to wait and let you body do what it needs to. i admire your patience!

you should know that once in a while, the body does not expel a miscarriage. rather, the baby and placenta are somehow reabsorbed into the mother's body. i would imagine this takes far longer to complete.

if you are being careful about not inserting things into your vagina, i wouldn't be too worried about infection. but you should still be alert for signs of it (fever, pain, foul discharge, etc.).

one of my miscarriages started about three weeks after the baby quit developing. the other was approximately four weeks. but i didn't know in either case until i started bleeding, and then each took about a week-10 days to complete.

if you are passing clots, you still might be heading towards a miscarriage. if you are worried, you might ask about an ultrasound to see what's going on.

good luck to you. i hope this resolves peacefully and quickly for you!

hugs,

katje


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## Delight (Sep 19, 2002)

Just wanted to share my experience with you. We found out at our 12 week appt. on 10/15/02 that our baby had died at around 6 weeks. I started bleeding 2 weeks later and bled off and on. Around Thanksgiving, I had a HUGE gush of blood and tissue and I thought it was over, but I kept bleeding intermittantly until 1/31/03, when I passed a golf-ball sized sac. Then the bleeding immediately stopped...like a faucet and it was over.

So, YES! You can wait and wait and wait for your body to do it. As long as you do not have any signs of infection (fever, etc.)...you should be fine. I just kept avoiding my appts to go into the hospital...because when we found out, the Dr. wanted to give my Cytotec and I said No Way!

So, it took me all that time to pass everything, and I wouldn't do it any other way. I know that's the timing my body needed to work.

So sorry for your loss...hang in there.

Sara
due with our 1st on 4/2/04


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## taradt (Jun 10, 2003)

((hugs))
the wait can be very hard. our baby died between 13 - 16 weeks and was finally born at what would have been 18 weeks. i wanted to avoid a d&c at all costs.
we eventually had to induce labor with cytotec, which after a lot of research was the lesser of evils for us. i didn't know for as long as you did, but i was starting to really be an emotional mess and not know what was happening and what was real (kinda hard to explain)
Keena's birth was a very powerful and peaceful process. my daughter was a c section as well and to deliver this baby naturally was incredible, it helped me to come to peace both with her death and the section i had had.
good luck to you and keep us updated

tara


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## SweetTeach (Oct 5, 2003)

bumping for Richie's mom and I'm sorry for your loss.


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## Richie'sMama (Dec 4, 2001)

Thank you for bumping this thread for me.

You've given me many answers.

I'm sorry for all of our losses.


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