Physician Self-Care After a Patient Stillbirth

Caring for families through stillbirth is profoundly emotional. Physicians often carry silent grief, stress, and compassion fatigue. Intentional self-care supports your well-being, resilience, and ability to continue providing compassionate care. Below are practical approaches to restore balance.

Emotional & Psychological Self-Care

• Debrief with colleagues in a structured or informal session to share perspectives.

• Reach out to peer support networks for those who understand perinatal loss challenges.

• Seek therapy or clinical supervision specializing in provider grief or secondary trauma.

• Reflective journaling: write both the difficult emotions and meaningful aspects of care.

• Monitor for compassion fatigue or vicarious trauma and seek early support.

Physical & Somatic Self-Care

• Practice gentle yoga, stretching, or walking outdoors to release tension.

• Engage in short breathwork or meditation to regulate the nervous system.

• Schedule massage or bodywork to release stored stress.

• Prioritize restorative sleep after emotionally heavy shifts.

Relational & Community Self-Care

• Check in authentically with colleagues: 'How are you really doing?'

• Participate in mentorship or physician support circles on grief or difficult outcomes.

• Set boundaries—allow yourself to leave emotional weight at work.

Spiritual & Meaning-Making Self-Care

• Create rituals of closure: light a candle, offer a silent prayer, or pause for reflection.

• Use mindfulness practices to remain present while releasing guilt or self-blame.

• Reaffirm your professional values and the dignity of having offered support.

Creative & Expressive Self-Care

• Engage in creative outlets such as painting, music, or poetry.

• Try narrative medicine—writing or sharing the story of care with focus on humanity and resilience.

  
  

Systemic & Bonus Self-Care

• Advocate for structured bereavement support protocols in hospitals/clinics.

• Encourage peer debriefs, mental health access, and flexible scheduling after perinatal loss cases.

• Normalize physician grief as part of the professional culture to prevent isolation.

Reminder: Physician well-being matters. Taking care of yourself is not a luxury—it is an ethical and professional necessity.

You are NOT alone!

Feel free to connect with our Director of Outreach, Marjorie Vail, if you need additional support resources for yourself or your team.

#UnitedWePush For families. For Babies. For Change!