16th
Un-Expecting's Super Abortion Checklist for before, during, and after your abortion procedure
I’ve put together a long checklist of things that will definitely make your abortion experience a lot easier. I’ve tried to be as thorough as possible, but if you can think of anything else that you’d like to add from your own personal experience, please e-mail me or leave it in the comments and I’ll be sure to add.
**Please note that I am not a doctor and that nothing on this list should be construed as medical advice. It’s only suggestions from one girl who’s “been there” and just wants to share what she’s learned.**
The morning of the appointment:
Verify the address of the clinic, doctor’s office, or hospital and make sure you know how to get there. If you’re taking a cab, make sure you have enough cash for the trip there and back.
You might want to see if it’s OK with your doctor to take 800 mg of ibuprofen about 1 hour before your procedure is scheduled if you’re going to only be on local anesthetics. This is equivalent to 4 regular strength Advil tablets and will help to lessen the cramping during the procedure. This was recommended to me by my doctor, but please call and just make sure it’s OK for you to do.
If you’re NOT going to be under general anesthesia, it’s a good idea to eat something light the morning of the procedure. A bowl of oatmeal or cold whole grain cereal, some toast with a bit of jam, cream of wheat, a bagel, or a piece of fruit like a banana are all good ideas. Stay away from heavy or greasy things like bacon & eggs or super sugary Pop-Tarts or cereals.
What to wear:
Remember, you’re going for comfort, not style, today.
Blood pressure, IVs, shots, and blood drawing all require easy access to your upper arm. Wear a short sleeved shirt or tank that will make this easy and not require you to remove your shirt. If it’s cold, a tank layered under a long-sleeved t-shirt, light sweater, or cardigan is a good idea. Remember that doctor’s offices tend to be cold so bring a sweater or shawl to wrap up in if necessary.
You’ll want a comfortable, but supportive bra. A sports bra would work well, or a good cotton. Think Hanes rather than La Perla. Your breast tenderness will start to go away after the procedure, but in some cases it can continue or eve worsen. A bit of lactation is also rare, but normal and a supportive bra can help with this.
Granny panties! If like me you tend to wear thongs all the time, you might want to pick up a pack of full coverage briefs in a breathable natural fiber like cotton for the next couple days, or pull out those laundry-day panties. These will help keep the maxi pads in place and won’t ride up or cause any added pressure or discomfort. Thongs can sometimes cause bacteria to travel from back to front and for this reason should also be avoided for a couple days since you want to do all you can to avoid infections.
Sweatpants, cotton track pants, or loose cotton shorts (if it’s summer) are all good ideas right now. Pick pants that will come on and off easily and which won’t put any pressure on your stomach or pelvic region (leave the skinny jeans at home!). You’ll be feeling a little bit sore after the procedure and will want something you can easily slip in and out of. Also, since you’ll probably be wearing a big pad at least for the trip home, you’ll want to avoid stretchy leggings or any pants that might make this difficult to hide.
Sneakers, tennis shoes, flip-flops, or slip on boots like Uggs. Avoid heels or anything with complicated laces or straps. You want something that’s easy to slip on and off and which won’t put any stress on your back or legs.
Any allergy or disease bracelets or identifying jewelry that you typically wear (if applicable).
What to bring with you:
A person. Your boyfriend, husband, best friend, sister, mom. Bring someone who is close to you and who will support you without judgment. He or she can help you get to and from the clinic, hold your hand in the waiting room or procedure room if your clinic allows, and carry your purse if you’re feeling a bit weak from shots or the anesthetics. They can also run out to the drugstore or grocery to pick up anything you might need afterwards (prescriptions, pads, chocolate).
Insurance card & co-pay or money for the procedure (you should find out the cost beforehand and whether or not your insurance will cover it—many will). Also note that most clinics will only take cash, credit, or debit. They likely won’t accept checks so be prepared for that.
ID with your age if you live in a state that has special age requirements
Magazines, sudoku, crosswords, books. Depending on where you go for your procedure, you could have a wait time of anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours so you’ll want something to keep you entertained.
Your iPod or other Mp3/music player. If you’re worried about the sounds during the procedure or will just want something to distract yourself with while it goes on, music is awesome for calming your nerves and blocking out sounds. Preset it with a playlist of some fun, upbeat songs. Cheesy 80s pop hits, classic rock, or bouncy top-40 stuff are all good to keep you in a good mood and to drown out noise.
A snack like a banana or bagel to eat if you’re going to be waiting for a long time. Some water or juice.
What to have waiting for you at home:
Sanitary Pads in different strengths. You won’t be able to insert anything into the vagina for a couple weeks, so no tampons. As a life-long tampon user I was a bit baffled by this, but am pretty happy with the Always Infinity pads my boyfriend picked up for me. Get the heavy flow variety and an overnight kind to sleep in. You can get a pack of lighter flow ones, but honestly the Infinity ones are so thin that I will probably just stick with these. If you’re not used to using them, you might want to just get in the habit of changing them each time you use the bathroom just to help yourself feel clean and fresh. Note that it might take you a bit to get used to that kind of “drippy” feeling as the blood comes out onto the pad.
A heating pad. This will become your best friend this week and is also handy to have once your periods come back regularly (how fun will that be!). I have one that I heat up in the microwave and strap around my waist so I can wear it while cooking, working, or doing housework (key if you’re a mom or have a job that requires you to move around or be on your feet). Thermocare also makes some great disposable ones that you can stick right onto your lower back or over your lower abs to help the cramps.
Advil or Motrin. According to my doctor, this is the best medicine to keep taking for the cramps you may have in the coming week or two.
A thermometer. Though complication rates are less than one percent, one of the first signs of an infection will likely be fever. An easy to read digital or mouth thermometer is handy to keep around. You can check your temp each night before going to bed just to make sure that it’s not going up. If you notice that it’s started to creep a few degrees above normal it could be a sign of an infection and reason to call your doctor’s emergency number.
Comfort foods! I was craving something warm, soft, and creamy after my abortion so I sent boyfriend out to pick up a box of Velveeta Shells & Cheese for me. Think about what you might like (chocolate, pudding, soups, rolls, crackers, pretzels, etc.) and have that waiting for you. You’ll probably be hungry when you get home and something easy and yummy is just the thing. Again, try and stay away from super greasy junk like burgers and pizza or spicy things like chips and salsa.
Yogurt. You’ll be on antibiotics for the next 3-5 days so you might want to pick up some yogurt to help replace the good bacteria in your system and ease up any stomach trouble you might get. I love the Greek yogurts (Fage is awesome!) but you can get whichever you’d like. Try to avoid the really sugary ones.
Gas-X or other gas medications, peppermint tea. Bloat and gas are really common post-abortion symptoms and you might actually find yourself feeling way puffier than you did during the pregnancy. Some chewable gas tablets will help relieve that extra gas and peppermint tea is awesome for relaxing the stomach muscles and releasing the trapped gasses. Also drink lots of water. It might seem ironic, but staying well-hydrated is actually the best way to de-bloat because your body will stop feeling like it needs to hold on to water in your system once it’s no longer being deprived of it.
Movies, tv show dvds, television. You might be kind of sleepy or at least groggy and weak so you’re going to want to spend the day vegging in front of the TV. I watched silly sitcoms like King of Queens and Just Shoot Me, two uber-cheesy Lifetime Christmas movies, and a couple Netflix I’d saved up just for the occasion.
Other things to think about:
Might seem a bit silly to think about, but you will be spending at least an hour naked from the waist down and with your legs hiked up in stirrups. The whole time I was waiting I found myself wishing I’d gotten a pedicure or at least filed my toenails a bit. Totally unnecessary of course, but feel free to think about things that might make you feel more comfortable in that already super awkward position. If that means getting a bikini wax beforehand, a pedicure, or shaving your legs the morning of, go for it. No need to feel all awkward and vulnerable AND find yourself wishing you’d wiped off that chipped polish leftover from last months pedicure.
