Postpartum
I Lost a Year of My Life: Tatum’s Story
In January 2024, I had an uncomplicated, five-hour labor on my due date. Immediately after handing my baby off, a nurse applied a standard procedure intervention known as controlled cord traction. I instantly felt sick and demanded she stop, but it was too late. My baby’s placenta was shredded and forcibly ripped out of my…
I Had No Idea Blood Clots Were Such a Risk to Pregnant Women: Amanda’s Story
In November 2023, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl via C-section. It was our first child and we were so excited! A few weeks after giving birth, I had extreme pain in my stomach. I called my OB/GYN and they told me to take an anti-gas medication and see what happened. The pain…
Monica’s Plea: Please Call Your Doctor With Any New Postpatrum Symptoms
Written by Judy Boyd, mother of Monica Boyd Ashworth, who died of a pulmonary embolism on March 7, 2024, 12 days after giving birth to her son. I want to advocate for new moms-to-be so they don’t die as our daughter did—right here in Northern Virginia. The United States has the most advanced health care…
I Couldn’t Walk Without Extreme Pain: Kris’ Story
In July 2022, I gave birth to my second child via C-section. In October, I was doing physical therapy for my back. I woke up one morning and my left leg felt off, like a bad muscle cramp. Within a few days, it progressed to the point where I could not walk without extreme pain…
Four DVTs Over the Years: Alejandra’s Story
In 2006, I was 31 years old, living in my home country of Venezuela, and 20 weeks pregnant with my first baby when I felt a pain like a knot in my left upper thigh. My mom suggested I keep my leg up the rest of the day and I could see my gynecologist in…
Monitor Your Own Vitals: Jamie’s Story
It was June of 2023. I was five days postpartum when I started to get really erratic blood pressure readings. It would go from 177/206 to 123/79 within minutes, up and down like a roller coaster. I was also having palpitations and I remember telling the doctor later that I had a twinge of pain…
Three DVTs in Two Decades: Heather’s Story
I’m 43. My first DVT experience was at 19 years old while in college. Long story short, I was sent home by two different doctors over two months even though my leg was in excruciating pain and eventually could barely walk. The third doctor knew what was wrong with me within minutes and sent me…
I’ll Never Ignore My Body Again: Chrissy’s Story
At 35 weeks pregnant, I had a feeling that something was severely wrong. While cooking Father’s Day breakfast for my husband, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I called my OB and was told to come into triage for monitoring. I was admitted, but my oxygen levels were perfect, and my EKG was pristine. I…
My CVST Was Caught Just In Time: Naomi’s Story
I had my beautiful baby boy on August 26, 2023. I had a low-risk pregnancy and a water birth with no complications. At 2.5 weeks postpartum, I began to get a headache that I assumed was from sleep deprivation. As a migraine sufferer, I am used to severe headaches and had not been on my…
It’s Better to be Safe Than Sorry: Kyarra’s Story
As told by her mother Star My beautiful daughter knew she wanted to be a mom when she was in kindergarten. In May 2022, when she 23 years old, she gave birth to her daughter. Due to some medical issues, she had she ended up having an unplanned C-section. Three weeks to the day of…
