We pray daily for those experiencing miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant loss. We are called to this ministry so that all parents have respectful delivery options, and the chance to grieve for their child. When facing fetal or infant loss, parents should be fully informed and not be rushed into any decisions. Naturally, we advise you to listen to your doctor’s advice. Usually there is enough time to mindfully consider many of the necessary decisions.

We would like to make a few recommendations that we hope will help as you grieve and heal when facing your miscarriage at home:

Pray to God for physical, emotional, and spiritual strength as you deliver your miscarried baby.

While you are waiting, ask your doctor what to watch for in terms of medical issues such as excessive bleeding, fever, or infection. Waiting for the baby to deliver can be very frustrating. Wondering when the baby will deliver and what will happen can make you anxious.

Please understand it is not unusual for a baby to deliver as long as three to four weeks after he or she has died. The placenta usually keeps growing until the baby delivers.

To prepare for the delivery, you can buy a miscarriage kit from this site, or create your own. We recommend an expandable colander, squirt bottle, re-sealable plastic bag for storage of placenta, a vessel in which to place the baby, and rubber gloves. You may also want to locate a picture of a baby the age and size of your baby at the same gestational age.

Below is our recommendation for using the miscarriage kit. Consult with your doctor for his medical direction.

Heaven’s Gain Miscarriage Kit includes:

• Specimen collection pan to measure blood loss
• A squirt bottle to rinse the colander contents
• Colander to catch the baby
• A vessel in which to place the baby
• Pictures of baby development
• A bag to place the placenta in for possible chromosomal testing
• Gloves
• Blood loss measurement chart
• 2 Thick zip lock bags to store the miscarriage kit and colander

Client Directions for Using the Miscarriage Kit:

• Once you start spotting, bring the miscarriage kit into the bathroom with you.
• Remove the contents of the miscarriage kit.
• Fill the squirt bottle with water.
• If you choose to use gloves, put on the gloves.
• Place the collection pan in the toilet to measuring blood loss. Remove during urination.
• Expand the colander by gently pushing down the center area & place in the collection pan
  • During urination, the blood collection pan is removed, but you will need to hold the colander to catch anything that may pass as you urinate.
  • Use of the colander will allow your urine to pass through while retaining clots, and everything expelled.
• Once you see contents in the colander, bring the colander to the sink and place the collection pan to the side to maintain an accurate blood loss measurement. Use the squirt bottle to rinse off the blood to reveal the contents in the colander at the sink.
• If there are any contents in the strainer, examine those contents.
• Discern and distinguish blood clots from placenta, sack, cord, and baby. Use pictures of baby development to find the baby.  Please understand, your baby may not look the same due to chromosomal abnormalities or decomposition that may have begun.
• Each time you empty the specimen hat record amount of blood loss onto the blood loss chart.
• Repeat until the baby and placenta have passed.  This may take many trips to the bathroom.
• If you find the baby, carefully place your baby in the vessel. The very small baby’s body is fragile and can be placed in the vessel with water (preferably saline solution/contact solution) to keep the fragile baby’s body safe and to view the baby.  When not viewing the baby, please keep the baby in the vessel in the refrigerator until burial.
• If you choose to use the saline bath to preserve the baby, fill the vessel with saline solution (contact lens solution will work). This will recreate a womb-like environment. Place the lid on the bottle and lay it on its side. Observe your baby peacefully floating in saline solution. You may wish to take pictures.
• Finding your baby’s body does not always happen.  Breakdown sometimes happens before delivery.
• The placenta is usually thicker than a clot.  One side is bloody while the other side is iridescent, and you can usually see some veins.  The placenta can be placed in the bag for future testing or to be viewed by the doctor.  If you are having genetic testing, put the placenta in the small zip lock bag, and refrigerate until you can bring it to the hospital or doctor.  If not choosing to test, you may dispose of the placenta in the toilet.
• If you do not find the baby, clean the colander and let it air dry. Discard gloves and place the colander back in the zip lock bag until the next trip to the bathroom. Start the process again on the next trip to the bathroom.