Triggers & How to Manage them

So we’ve explained what triggers are, but what does that mean to you?

🔥 Common Triggers

You might notice strong reactions to:

• Scanning rooms or ultrasound images — even in TV shows or films.
• Pregnancy announcements — especially when the baby is healthy or the experience looks ‘perfect.’
• Medical environments — hospitals, waiting rooms, or even seeing people in scrubs.
• Language used around pregnancy or loss — phrases like “at least you know you can get pregnant” or “everything happens for a reason.”
• Anniversaries or dates — due dates, the day you received the diagnosis, the day of your TFMR.
• Your own emotions — feeling joy, hope, or anger can unexpectedly bring a wave of grief or guilt crashing in.

These are just a few — your triggers may look completely different, and that’s valid. Whatever you feel, you are not overreacting.

🛠 How to Cope with Triggers

Here are some gentle strategies to help you navigate triggering moments:

🌱 Talk to people who get it.
Offloading to a trusted partner, friend, or someone in the TFMR/baby loss community can help lighten the emotional load. Choose people who make space for your pain — not those who try to ‘fix’ it.

⚠️ Avoid people who’ve minimised your experience in the past.
Even if they love you, some people just won’t understand — and their attempts to help can feel invalidating.

🧘‍♀️ Try grounding techniques when you’re overwhelmed:

• Breathe: 10 slow, deep breaths — in through your nose for 4, out through your mouth for 6 or 8. In for 4, out for more.
• Sense check:
  – 5 things you can see
  – 4 things you can hear
  – 3 things you can smell
  – 2 things you can touch
  – 1 thing you can taste
• Cold water: Sip some or splash it on your face and neck.
• Movement: Step outside, stretch, or walk if you can. Sometimes physically moving can help shift mental overwhelm.

👥 Connect with the group:

Our WhatsApp groups are a safe space to share how you’re feeling and what helps you cope. If you’ve found something that helps you through triggering moments, let others know — we learn and heal in community – you can find the whats app groups in our free membership section, or use the link below. 

Membership