ABSTRACT
Following a reproductive trauma, it can be common for new parents to have difficulty finding safe spaces to tell their story, either feeling like they have overshared, or feeling unsafe to talk about it at all. To add to that, they are sometimes met with well-intended but hurtful messages from others, such as “focus on the positive” and “at least the baby is healthy” that ultimately create invalidation and further isolation. This chapter explores some of the helpful and unhelpful messages parents receive, while aiding them in creating communication plans to address and encourage more helpful messages of support. A section on suggested helpful messages is provided for loved ones to read as well. The research around the importance and protective buffering of support with regard to PTSD is reviewed, and the reader is aided in identifying what support they presently have. Ideas and prompts are provided to help expand and mobilize support networks, if needed. Navigating social media in mindful ways is discussed, as social media can often be challenging with inherent comparison and judgment, yet is also a possible source for connection for isolated new parents.
