Interview with Hailey Bieber, postpartum recovery and hormone changes after birth

There are two kinds of health stories we hear. The kind where everything goes smoothly, and the kind where your body reminds you, very loudly, that you are not in control.

Hailey Bieber’s story lives in that second category. At 25, she had a TIA, a mini-stroke with classic stroke symptoms. Later, she got pregnant in a way that was totally unexpected. And then she navigated pregnancy risks that many women never even learn to ask about, from a uterine septum to preterm risk monitoring, induction planning, postpartum hemorrhage concerns, and then the hormonal whiplash that can happen after birth.

What makes her story especially valuable is not just that it includes scary moments. It also includes what happens next: the testing, the “wait, this is real” education, the specialized care, and the practical mindset that kept her grounded.

We sat down with Hailey Bieber and Dr. Thais Aliabadi (Dr. A) to talk about what it actually looks like to be a new mom and a founder, and how women can become their own best advocates for heart health, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and mental health.

Disclaimer: This article is for education and general information. It is not medical advice. Always consult your medical team for decisions related to your own health.

Table of Contents

• How a “mini-stroke” at 25 changed everything
• Finding the PFO: the “detour” that can send clots to the brain
• Your genetics can load the gun, but lifestyle can still pull the trigger
• Surprise pregnancy plus anatomy risk: uterine septum
• Preterm risk monitoring: the blood test that adds another data point
• Pregnancy strategy: exercise, planning, and trusting your own body
• Induction truths: what reduces risk and why fear is common
• Tools during induction: Foley balloon and the epidural “sweet spot.”
• Postpartum hemorrhage scare: when your body will not clamp down
• Postpartum recovery: anxiety, pumping, and hormones that do not reset instantly
• PMDD months later: when hormones hit your brain differently
• Postpartum rehab: pelvic floor therapy and “rehab,” not just workouts
• Being a mom and building a business at the same time
• Skincare, hair, and staying “simple” during big life seasons
• FAQ: Hailey Bieber postpartum, PMDD, and hormone changes after birth
• Final takeaway: trust your gut, ask for the testing, and build a care plan that supports real life

How a “mini-stroke” at 25 changed everything

What happened when you were 25?

Hailey: I was just about to turn 25. I had a TIA, basically a mini-stroke. The right side of my arm went numb. I couldn’t speak. My face was drooping on the right side. It was terrifying and, honestly, it felt like one of the most near-death experiences I’ve ever had.

One thing that surprised me was how quickly I felt like things went back to normal. With a TIA, the symptoms typically resolve. By the time I got to the hospital, I was speaking normally and doing okay. But the fact that it happened at all, at that age, meant there was a reason we needed to find.

Did you recognize it as stroke symptoms?

Hailey: No. And that is part of what makes this so scary. It was like my body was doing something I didn’t understand. I knew something was wrong immediately, but I wasn’t thinking, “This is a stroke.”

Dr. A: Women often do not realize that heart and circulation problems are major killers, not just in older age. At 25, the conversation has to include unusual explanations, but it also has to include thorough testing because the goal is to prevent a future event.

What did the hospital do?

Hailey: They did scans right away. They could see a tiny area where the stroke was in my brain. It was in the part of the brain that controls speech, which explains why I couldn’t talk.

Because the symptoms resolved quickly, there was no clot-buster medication needed. But the testing still mattered because a resolved event does not mean the risk goes away.

Finding the PFO: the “detour” that can send clots to the brain

What was the underlying cause?

Dr. A: Hailey has a PFO, a patent foramen ovale. It is an opening in the heart that typically closes after birth. For some people, it stays open.

Hailey: They told me that it affects about 25 percent of people, and most people never have an issue. What makes it dangerous is when blood flow allows a clot to take a detour. Normally, blood goes to the lungs to be oxygenated and filtered. With a PFO, in certain situations, a clot can cross from the right side of the heart to the left side and then go out to the aorta, toward the brain.

How did the PFO get discovered?

Hailey: When I was in the emergency room, they did a bubble echo, and they didn’t see it. Then later, at a stroke center and then at UCLA, they used specialized testing like transcranial Doppler and then a TEE. The PFO was found.

They also told me something that I still think about: my heart was slightly tilted in my body. From certain angles, it can be harder to see the opening on standard echo imaging.

Dr. A: This is one reason we do not assume one test is the final answer. Anatomy matters. Techniques matter. If the clinical story is strong, the testing needs to be strong too.

How was it treated?

Hailey: I ended up having closure surgery. They went through the groin and placed a closure device, a newer approach instead of open heart surgery.

They used a device like a small “button” between the two spaces so that scar tissue can grow over it and close the hole. What was wild is that they used a device two times bigger than they thought they would need, because when they got in there, it was larger than expected.

That moment taught me how much of health care is not just about having a diagnosis. It is about finding the real size, the real anatomy, and the real risk profile.

Your genetics can load the gun, but lifestyle can still pull the trigger

What did you learn about your genetic risk after the stroke?

Hailey: I learned I had interesting genetic predispositions that increase risk factors, including lipoprotein(a). Dr. A also mentioned APOB, and we talked about several particles in blood that can contribute to plaque formation and coronary artery disease risk. I also learned I have APOE4, which was discussed as increasing risk for things like inflammation in the brain and higher risks related to stroke or dementia, depending on the context.

Dr. A: The key point is that genetics is not destiny. They are a risk map. Genetics loads the gun. Lifestyle pulls the trigger. The good news is that you can often change what happens next through what you control: sleep, exercise, checking and managing blood lipids like APOB, reducing inflammation, and working with your clinician.

Hailey: Hearing that at 25 was huge. It gave me a sense of agency. It made me realize this could become a “known risk” instead of a mystery that keeps me trapped in fear.

Surprise pregnancy plus anatomy risk: uterine septum

Was pregnancy planned?

Hailey: No. It was a surprise. After everything I went through with the TIA and then closure, I thought my timeline might look one way, but then I magically got pregnant.

Dr. A: This is often how it goes in real life. Risk and life still happen. The job of care is to find the risks you can control and monitor what matters most.

What pregnancy risk did you learn about?

Hailey: I had a septum in my uterus.

Dr. A: A uterine septum is a thin wall inside the uterine cavity. Women are born with it. It can be mild, moderate, or severe depending on the measurement. Hailey’s was moderate.

Hailey: They explained that a moderate septum can raise the risk of miscarriage and preterm delivery. I was told our miscarriage risk could be around 25 to 40 percent, and there was a higher risk of preterm delivery, especially because, as the pregnancy progresses, the septum can expand.

And I remember this clearly: Dr. A looked at me and basically said, “I believe everything will work out fine.” I held onto that because it helped balance the medical information with real hope.

How common is a uterine septum, and is it often missed?

Dr. A: It is relatively common. It affects about one to three percent of women, and mild or moderate cases can be missed. A regular ultrasound can miss it if the clinician does not know what to look for.

Hailey: Dr. A emphasized that she does a 3D image of every uterine cavity so she can clearly see that wall. That changed how I think about infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss. If someone is dealing with unexplained infertility, it should not always be framed as “just bad luck.” Anatomy is a real possibility.

What does having a septum mean for your options during pregnancy?

Dr. A: It usually does not automatically mean a termination of pregnancy. But it does mean you should know you are at higher risk for certain outcomes and monitor accordingly.

Hailey: It also meant learning about other things. For example, people talk about IUDs, but with septums, IUD placement can be tricky because the IUD arms may not open correctly in the uterine cavity. That can lead to misplacement or expulsion.

Preterm risk monitoring: the blood test that adds another data point

What preterm test did you use?

Dr. A: We used a test called “Preterm” from Sarah Prognostics. It is a maternal blood test done between 18 weeks and 20 weeks and six days, around the time right before 21 weeks.

Hailey: I had not known this type of testing existed. It felt like getting another piece of information instead of guessing.

How does the test work?

Dr. A: The test checks two placenta-related proteins. One is insulin growth factor, and the other is sex hormone-binding globulin. These are connected to nutrient flow to the placenta and inflammation. Preterm delivery is defined as delivery before 37 weeks.

Hailey: It does not guarantee anything. It provides relative risk, and it helps determine whether you might be low risk or high risk, so your care plan can be more targeted.

What happens if the test suggests a higher risk?

Dr. A: If a patient tests positive for higher preterm risk, we address two major causes: inflammation and nutrient support.

In many cases, we use vaginal progesterone, 200 milligrams per vagina, from the time the test turns positive until 36 weeks.

For patients who test positive and have other indications, we may also start low-dose aspirin, 81 milligrams, and we measure the cervix and monitor more closely.

Hailey: For me, the plan was very clear: not panic, just monitoring and action. It helped me feel like we were preparing rather than waiting for something bad to happen.

Pregnancy strategy: exercise, planning, and trusting your own body

How was pregnancy for you?

Hailey: The first trimester was hard. I had really bad nausea and morning sickness. But right around 14 weeks, I felt magical. My energy returned. It became a different pregnancy.

And I was militant in a good way. I approached pregnancy like I was preparing for a marathon. I wanted my body in the best possible shape for delivery, so I kept exercising and lifting.

I stayed with Pilates, weight training, and strength training. The only additions were prenatal yoga and stretching for open hips and mobility.

Did you want a specific birth experience?

Hailey: I wanted natural labor, but my induction was scheduled. As things got closer, I told Dr. A, “Can I wait a bit and see if natural labor happens?”

Dr. A: We can sometimes allow a short window, but we do not push past 40 weeks when there are risk factors. Hailey understood that and set the expectation that safety comes first.

Hailey: Then I started losing fluid, which raised the question of rupture, and we induced.

Induction truths: what reduces risk and why fear is common

Why did you decide to induce rather than wait?

Hailey: When you’re losing fluid, you cannot just ignore it. It changes the urgency. We chose induction because it felt like the responsible plan.

Dr. A: Many women fear induction because they think it always leads to C-section. That is not the whole story. Induction at the right time and using the right techniques can reduce C-section risk.

She specifically likes inducing between 39 and 40 weeks, and she discussed that it can lower the risk of things like NICU admission, meconium aspiration, waiting for preeclampsia or high blood pressure, and issues related to abnormal tracing.

What do you tell women who have scary induction stories?

Dr. A: Induction is not one-size-fits-all. The chance of a C-section depends on how it is done. It depends on what medications are used, how fast Pitocin is increased, the care team’s approach, and the patient’s response.

Hailey: Even with everything done correctly, there is still a chance of a C-section. But it can be important to separate “fear” from “data.”

Tools during induction: Foley balloon and the epidural “sweet spot.”

What did your induction look like?

Hailey: It was about 18 hours from door to delivery, which is a long course, but it was fast for a first pregnancy, and the baby did not want to come out yet.

We started with a Foley balloon. I am not going to lie, it sucks. It is painful. When I had it placed, it was hard. I got fentanyl, and later I had an epidural.

What was your epidural experience like?

Hailey: I wanted to get the epidural when I was around four centimeters. That way, I could rest. I could have continued without it, but the reasoning was that sleep and rest matter, so you can conserve energy for pushing.

Once I got it, I hated the feeling at first. I felt numb, like a dead fish. I could not feel my legs. But Dr. A talked about this “sweet spot,” where you can have pressure without unbearable pain or complete numbness, so you can actually push.

Hailey: I turned it off because I did not like the numbness. Then it wore off right before pushing, and I felt this pressure. I was not sure what to do with it because it is your first baby, and you do not know what it will feel like. I ended up turning it back on briefly before pushing.

Would you recommend the Foley balloon?

Hailey: Yes. It is painful, but Dr. A made the point that it can shave hours off induction. Mechanically, it opens up the cervix. In her approach, the balloon often comes out when the cervix is around four centimeters, which helps the next steps go faster.

Postpartum hemorrhage scare: when your body will not clamp down

What was the scariest part of the delivery for you?

Hailey: The bleeding. I pushed the baby out in 44 minutes. After delivery, I couldn’t stop bleeding. It was immediate. It was honestly the worst part.

I went in nervous because you hear people talk about hemorrhage, but you do not expect it to happen to you. When nothing is working, and they keep giving medication for clotting, you can feel that panic shift in the room.

Why does postpartum hemorrhage happen?

Dr. A: Postpartum hemorrhage is when there is excessive bleeding after birth. For vaginal births, it can affect about 2 to 4 percent of women. For C-sections, it can be about 6 to 10 percent.

The most common cause is that the uterine muscles do not clamp down effectively after the placenta is delivered.

Hailey: Even though I had no obvious risk factors, it can still happen. The human body is its own thing, and it is unpredictable.

What did the team do in your case?

Dr. A: We go through steps quickly and systematically. First, we check for retained placenta. In the transcript, Dr. A described doing a bimanual exam, checking the cervix, and ensuring that the uterus is emptied and that the bladder is empty. Then we confirm that Pitocin is actually running because sometimes people can be holding something, and the medication is not flowing.

Hailey: They gave medications for clotting, and nothing was working. It felt like they were acting extremely fast. We had to control the bleeding before it became a bigger emergency.

What is the Jada device?

Dr. A: When medications and standard measures fail, and a manual exam is still needed, there is a newer device called Jada. It is used to create suction at the cervix to help contract the walls of the uterus. It is basically a vacuum-based approach to encourage contraction.

Hailey: In my case, after the Jada, the bleeding stabilized quickly. It was a relief because hemorrhage is one of those things where you cannot assume you have more time than you do.

How do doctors measure bleeding in real time?

Dr. A: Bleeding measurement used to be somewhat imprecise, and you could get confusing signals. That is why weighing blood-soaked materials is important. There is also a push for accuracy and for acting conservatively because it is always safer to respond early than to respond late.

Hailey: I remember being taught how they were weighing the rags for how much blood was soaking into them. It is not something most people understand until they are in it.

Dr. A also explained that hemoglobin checks are helpful after the fact and that transfusion decisions often involve context, including vital signs and the patient’s overall stability. The goal is to act fast while still using evidence-based thresholds.

Postpartum recovery: anxiety, pumping, and hormones that do not reset instantly

How did postpartum feel for you?

Hailey: Overall, I had a pretty good experience. I did not have postpartum depression, which I am super grateful for. I did have anxiety, and I think it was normal anxiety. It was like, “Is my baby breathing? Are they okay? How much are they eating?”

In the first month, I was checking everything. It can be intense. Sleep deprivation makes everything louder, but also more fragile.

Was breastfeeding easy?

Hailey: Breastfeeding was not easy for me. One of my anxieties was not knowing how much my baby was eating. I liked pumping because it gave me a clear number. I could see that he was getting milk, and I had plenty.

She described being an overproducer and still having some milk in the freezer later.

We also talked about a combo approach, breastfeeding and pumping, and then later, pumping became the majority.

PMDD months later: when hormones hit your brain differently

Did you experience mood changes after birth?

Hailey: Yes. Months postpartum, I was diagnosed with PMDD. For me, it felt like the week before my period was not just “PMS.” It felt extreme mentally. Like, “Why does it feel like my whole entire life is going to end?”

It was swirling thoughts and intense feelings, and then once I got my period, everything felt totally normal again.

I want to say this clearly: a lot of women underestimate how hard postpartum can be. People think postpartum ends at six weeks because the wound heals and the body can feel “good enough” to move again. But postpartum is not just six weeks. It is a full year for hormones to normalize and for the body to recover.

What is PMDD, and why does it feel so disruptive?

Dr. A: PMDD is an extreme form of PMS. It often shows up 10 days before your period, often after ovulation when progesterone shifts. It is not simply abnormal hormone levels. It is that the brain reacts differently to the normal hormonal changes.

Hailey: It disrupted my work, relationships, and social life. It is cyclic. It sucks. It is also dangerous, and it should be taken seriously.

Dr. A emphasized that PMDD can be associated with increased risk of suicide attempts in some patients, which is why professional intervention matters. Supplements and lifestyle help for many people, but some people need medications.

What helped you?

Hailey: I used supplements, and I also found some things helpful for inflammation. She mentioned quercetin and DIM. I also explored antihistamine use, and my personal theory is that histamine intolerance might connect to PMDD for some people because histamine and inflammation both matter.

Dr. A added: for patients who have tried supplements, exercise, and diet and still do not improve, the brain can respond well to SSRIs during the “high sensitivity window” of about 10 days before the period. The approach can be “pulsed” SSRIs, meaning used cyclically rather than continuously, under clinician guidance.

Postpartum rehab: pelvic floor therapy and “rehab,” not just workouts

Did you do postpartum recovery beyond the basics?

Hailey: Yes, and I cannot overstate this. Pelvic floor therapy helped me. I did pelvic floor therapy during pregnancy and after. It is one of the first things I recommend.

Dr. A: Many women assume postpartum recovery is about returning to exercise. It is not just that. Postpartum rehab is rehabbing your body. You are rebuilding connection, improving function, and helping your tissues recover.

Hailey: I encourage women to do at least four sessions after they have a baby, if you can. I wish everyone knew that earlier because it can make a real difference.

Being a mom and building a business at the same time

How did you handle the mom plus founder reality?

Hailey: I always felt like being a businesswoman and being a mom were happening at the same time. And it is hard. People told me it keeps getting better, and it does. But when you are young, you are scared of getting older. Then you realize getting older is awesome, and the whole season becomes more meaningful.

Dr. A: This is a pattern we see often. The moment a woman’s career starts to take off can line up with the moment she starts having kids. Then your identity expands and your time gets split, and your priorities shift. It is doable, but it requires support and strategy.

How did you build your company while pregnant?

Hailey: The company idea started in 2020 during the pandemic. I brought it to partners because I had decks and the name and everything. I worked with people I trusted, and we built from there.

She described launching in 2022, getting pregnant in 2024, and working through most of the pregnancy. She took time off early when it felt right, then returned when she felt she had capacity. She also talked about the importance of being supported and getting even small moments to herself, like an hour-long “everything shower” just for her.

She called the separation from home life important. Not because motherhood is bad, but because you need to be a person too, not only “the mom.”

What advice do you have for other working moms?

Hailey: Trust that you can adjust. You can plan, but you cannot control everything. Support is not optional. And moments for yourself are not selfish. They are part of staying grounded.

Skincare, hair, and staying “simple” during big life seasons

What is your skincare routine right now?

Hailey: I keep it really simple. At night, I double cleanse. I use an oil cleanser and then a regular cleanser. I love the mist step. I also use glazing milk, which feels like an essence, like a milky toner. It is something you can wear under makeup or just as a skincare step.

How did your hair change to this natural color?

Hailey: Pandemic life made it possible for me to let my hair grow out naturally. I had not done that since I was a child. I finally saw what my natural color looked like, and I love it.

She also mentioned working with a colorist and collaborating with her own hair formulas sometimes, with subtle tweaks like going slightly darker or lighter.

FAQs: Hailey Bieber postpartum, PMDD, and hormone changes after birth

What is a TIA, and how is it different from a stroke?

Hailey described her experience as a TIA, which is a transient stroke event where symptoms resolve. She went to the hospital, where scans showed a tiny area related to the event, but because it resolved quickly, she did not need clot-buster medication.

What is a PFO, and why does it matter for young women?

A PFO is a patent foramen ovale, an opening in the heart that typically closes after birth. It matters because, in some situations, a clot can take a “detour” across the heart, reaching the brain. Dr. A noted it can affect about 25 percent of people, but most never have issues.

Is the uterine septum genetic, and is it often missed on ultrasound?

Hailey and Dr. A explained that a uterine septum is something women are born with. It can be missed on a regular ultrasound if the clinician does not use the right approach. Dr. A specifically emphasized using 3D imaging for each uterine cavity to avoid missing it.

What is the “Preterm” blood test?

Dr. A described it as a maternal blood test done between 18 weeks and 20 weeks and six days. It checks two proteins related to placental function and inflammation to estimate the relative risk for preterm delivery (before 37 weeks).

Does a positive preterm test mean preterm labor is guaranteed?

No. Hailey and Dr. A stressed that it provides risk information, not certainty. A positive result means you may need closer monitoring and possible interventions to reduce risk.

What is postpartum hemorrhage, and how is it treated quickly?

Postpartum hemorrhage is excessive bleeding after birth. Dr. A explained that a common cause is the uterus not contracting. Immediate response includes checking for retained placenta, emptying the bladder, confirming medications like pitocin are running, and using uterine contraction strategies. In Hailey’s case, a newer device called Jada helped when medications and standard steps were not working quickly enough.

What is PMDD, and why does it feel cyclic?

Dr. A described PMDD as an extreme form of PMS where the brain reacts intensely to normal hormonal shifts after ovulation, often with symptoms that peak about 10 days before a period and improve once menstruation begins.

How long is postpartum recovery, really?

Dr. A and Hailey emphasized that postpartum is not just six weeks. The body, hormones, hair, skin, and vaginal tissues can take a full year to recover. Many women need care and support beyond the early postpartum checkups.

Final takeaway: trust your gut, ask for the testing, and build a care plan that supports real life

Hailey Bieber’s story is not only a pregnancy story. It is a whole-body advocacy story: heart risk found through persistent testing, pregnancy risks identified through better imaging, preterm risk addressed with targeted monitoring, delivery managed with induction tools and careful pain strategy, postpartum recovery treated as urgent and systematic, and mental health changes handled with seriousness and appropriate interventions.

And throughout it, one theme stayed constant: we do not have to be perfect or fearless. We just have to stay educated, stay supported, and trust the strongest signal we have.

Trust your intuition. Whatever it is telling you, follow it.

Key keywords from this conversation: TIA, mini stroke, women and heart disease, PFO closure, uterine septum, preterm risk test, Foley balloon induction, epidural sweet spot, postpartum hemorrhage, Jada device, postpartum anxiety, pumping and breastfeeding, PMDD, pelvic floor therapy, postpartum rehab, hormone changes after birth.

If you would like to learn more about Hailey’s brand, it is called Rhode (Rhode Skin). If you would like to explore midlife care resources like women’s hormonal transitions and telehealth options, Dr. A also referenced services in the episode.

Above all, we hope this gives you language for your own questions. Not every symptom will be a TIA. Not every uterus will have a septum. But every woman deserves to be taken seriously and met with care that matches her real risk, her real anatomy, and her real life.

This article was created from the video Hailey Bieber on Postpartum Recovery, PMDD, and Hormone Changes After Birth | SHE MD for Dr. Thais Aliabadi’s website.