Ideas to support yourself during your abortion

Start Where You Are

Creating a support plan around your abortion in an ideal environment, in a space you can call your own, can be incredibly empowering. Gathering ideas to support yourself during your abortion and doing it your way, on your terms, is a key way to cultivate a deeply personal experience that will help you during your abortion and the healing process that comes after.

Below are some ideas to support you, with supporting YOU:

1. Create a plan 

• Answer any, all, or a combination of the following questions:

  • Do I want anyone to be with me, or check on me? Who, and in what way will I allow them to support me?

  • Where do I feel most safe and comfortable in my space? What can I bring to this space that will immediately be desired to reach for, should I want or need it?

  • Is there anything I can do to prepare ahead of time like cook or buy easy foods to heat up? If you love cooking, what comfort meal(s) can you have ready to go?

  • What professional resources do I have access to that can support me during my abortion process? (Psst - Rouge Doulas can support you through the whole process!)
    

2. Be prepared for the unexpected 

• In case of a medical emergency or for any questions about something you didn't anticipate or concerns you - who can you reach out to? Find a dependable place to have phone numbers easily accessible, and if able, a person in your local area to call at a moment's notice. If you do not have anyone to directly support you during this process, please remember we are here for you. 
  

3. Emotional empowerment

• The decision to have an abortion is often accompanied by different types of emotions—relief, sadness, guilt, or even anger. To what extent do you wish to sit with any emotions that come up during your experience? Be easy with yourself. It is okay if all you want to do is be with your body or pass the time with activities of your choice. Do you maybe have some energy to note emotions as they come to save for later? Down the line there could be an opportunity to confront and work through them, when you feel in a more ideal place to. 
  

Lastly, when thinking about ideas to support yourself during abortion:

Defining your abortion on your own terms in the comfort of your own space is about claiming power over your body and your decisions. It’s about privacy, comfort, and emotional clarity—ensuring that your experience is shaped by what you need, not what anyone else may give you opinions on. The reality is abortion can still carry a stigma depending on your cultural background, social systems, and/or overall laws that reflect how much your right to an abortion is supported. Taking control of your abortion in a way that feels right for you, whether at home or through other means, can help you feel more safe and empowered as you move through the process. You got this. Tú puedes hacer esto. Timi yo garna sakchau.

Você consegue fazer isso.