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How Preeclampsia and Postpartum Hemorrhage Tested My Strength: Colleen Wood’s Story
This is not intended to provide medical advice. The interview has been edited for clarity and length. Please consult your doctor for any health-related concerns.
When Colleen Wood discovered she was pregnant with her first child in 2019, she couldn't have anticipated the challenging journey that lay ahead. As a personal trainer specializing in prenatal and postpartum fitness, Colleen thought she was prepared for pregnancy. However, her experience with preeclampsia would test her in ways she never expected.
What is Preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy characterized by high blood pressure and signs of damage to organs, most notably the kidneys and liver. It typically begins after 20 weeks of pregnancy in women whose blood pressure had previously been in the normal range. A key feature of preeclampsia is the presence of protein in the urine (proteinuria), indicating potential kidney damage.
If left untreated, preeclampsia can lead to serious — even fatal — complications for both mother and baby. Early delivery is often recommended to prevent further risks, with the timing dependent on the severity of the condition and the stage of pregnancy.
Colleen's Path to Pregnancy
Colleen's journey to pregnancy began after she and her husband decided they were ready to start a family. Like many women, she faced some initial challenges when coming off birth control. "I had been on birth control for years and when I got off of it in April of 2019, my cycle was all over the place. I could not track it. It was maybe 45 days long, then 57 days long, and 38 days long. It was a little stressful and I didn't know why my body wasn't regulating."
Despite these initial hurdles, Colleen and her husband were able to conceive after about six months of trying. She discovered she was pregnant on her husband's birthday in October, making for a memorable surprise.
Early Pregnancy and Symptoms
In the early stages of her pregnancy, Colleen experienced relatively few symptoms: "One of the first symptoms I had was brown discharge in my underwear, which I just had never had before,” Colleen says. “And then about a week later, my boobs hurt so bad. Like, so bad. I just was like, what is happening?"
"You can really continue to do a lot during pregnancy, as long as you are just kind of figuring out how to breathe to support your core and pelvic floor and everything."
As her pregnancy progressed, Colleen continued to feel relatively symptom-free, which she found surprising:
"Sometimes I would stop and be like, I'm not having symptoms, Am I pregnant?” Colleen remembers. “Because I didn't even show for a long time - until about at least halfway."
Staying Active During Pregnancy
As a personal trainer specializing in prenatal and postpartum fitness, Colleen continued her workout routine during pregnancy. She maintains that staying active is key to a healthy pregnancy while stressing the importance of safety and proper breathing.
"I want people to know that you can still do a lot during pregnancy,” says Colleen. “There are never things that are 100% off limits unless it's like a risk of falling or having to do with pressure, like scuba diving or something like that. But you can continue to do a lot during pregnancy, as long as you are figuring out how to breathe to support your core and pelvic floor."
The Onset of Preeclampsia Symptoms
"My legs were completely swollen, and my face was swollen too. I think the face swelling was a bigger sign of preeclampsia compared to just having swollen ankles. The swelling also came with rapid weight gain."
As Colleen continued exercising regularly and entered her third trimester, she began to notice some changes in her energy levels and fluid retention.
"I started to feel a little weird towards the end, maybe 33, 34 weeks," says Colleen. "I couldn't pinpoint anything, but I was more sluggish, tired, and out of it. But I was like, this is my first pregnancy, maybe this is normal."
However, these subtle changes were likely the early signs of preeclampsia. One day, while virtually training a client, Colleen received an unexpected comment: "I remember specifically, I was video training one client, and she was like, 'Your face looks a little swollen.' And I was like, 'Oh, okay.' I didn't think too much of it."
Fluid retention, or edema, is a common symptom during pregnancy, typically leading to swelling in the feet and ankles. However, a sudden onset of swelling in the face, hands, and feet can be a warning sign of preeclampsia. Colleen’s swollen face was likely one of these signs, though it can be easy to dismiss as just another pregnancy-related change.
"I had swollen ankles at that point, but my whole legs were swollen too,” shares Colleen. “I would wear shorts or tight leggings, and they would leave marks on my thighs. My legs were completely swollen, and my face was swollen too. I think the face swelling was a bigger sign of preeclampsia compared to just having swollen ankles. The swelling also came with rapid weight gain. I was gaining about 2 pounds a week, which seemed odd. Normally, 1 pound a week is pretty standard, especially towards the end when growth usually slows down. Gaining 2 pounds a week felt like a lot."
Her concern grew when she realized she had missed a telehealth appointment. Upon rescheduling, her blood pressure reading was slightly higher than normal, raising a red flag.
Recognizing Preeclampsia Symptoms
As Colleen began to research her symptoms, preeclampsia kept coming up. "Of course, I started googling, and I did have some suspicions that this could be preeclampsia,” she recalls. It usually shows with high blood pressure, and high protein in your urine, which I wasn't getting checked because I wasn't going into the office and doing a urine sample."
Colleen wasn't going to her doctor’s office for regular visits because her pregnancy occurred in early 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.
Other symptoms Colleen experienced included:
Rapid weight gain: "Over the whole pregnancy, I ended up gaining 40 pounds and the last 15 was in the last month."
Swelling: "My legs were full and my face was swollen."
High blood pressure: "My blood pressure was a little high. The protein in my urine was a little high."
Diagnosis and Treatment of Preeclampsia
Colleen's preeclampsia was officially diagnosed during her 37-week appointment: "I went back to my 37-week appointment in person again and they checked my blood pressure and it was 160 over 90, which is extremely high,” says Colleen. The doctor told her she needed to go to the hospital right away.
“I was definitely scared and very emotional,” she shares. “I knew something was wrong, but when it really hits you, it's overwhelming. I felt that way even just walking from the OB office to the car where my husband was waiting. It was such a strange feeling, knowing that something serious was happening and not knowing what was going to come next.”
The only effective treatment for preeclampsia is delivery of the baby. Colleen was immediately sent to the hospital to begin the induction process.
"Because I had pre-eclampsia and it can lead to seizures during labor, you have to be on magnesium to help prevent that,” explains Colleen. “I was on a magnesium drip the whole time, which means I have to be bedridden and I'm on a clear liquid diet so I can't get out of bed."
Labor and Delivery with Preeclampsia
Her labor began with induction methods since her body wasn’t naturally ready for labor. "They give me the, I forgot what it's called, prostaglandin, to help ripen the cervix," Colleen recalls. After several hours, a Foley balloon was inserted to aid in dilating her cervix, followed by Pitocin to start contractions. The process was slow and demanding, as she described, "So it's kind of just like a whole process for me, just like laying there again, things just happening to me."
"I pushed for about three hours,” she shares. “That hardest thing. It feels like you're running a marathon but like four marathons in a row. It was nonstop."
Eventually, Colleen decided to get an epidural due to the pain and her inability to move. "I can't do anything about the pain. I'm bedridden. I don't know how long this whole process is going to be. Let me at least try and rest and get some relief," she says. The epidural allowed her to rest, and by the next day, after 24 hours of labor, she was fully dilated and ready to start pushing.
"I pushed for about three hours,” she shares. “That hardest thing. It feels like you're running a marathon but like four marathons in a row. It was nonstop."
After her son was born, Colleen faced another complication. “I hemorrhaged, I was just bleeding out,” Colleen says. The doctor was very calm, thank God, but she was kind of freaking out. Twelve nurses and people ran into the room."
Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a dangerous condition involving heavy vaginal bleeding after childbirth, which can be life-threatening. Additional symptoms include dizziness, faintness, and blurred vision. PPH can happen immediately after delivery or up to 12 weeks later. Early detection and quick treatment are crucial for a complete recovery.
Postpartum Hemorrhage and NICU Stay
Colleen's son needed to be taken to the NICU immediately after birth due to complications.
"He had some fluid in his lungs and his limbs were like not super responding,” shares Colleen of the harrowing experience.
Colleen was left lying there, uncertain and frightened, unable to comprehend what was happening around her. The most excruciating part of the ordeal was when a nurse attempted to control the hemorrhaging. "She had one arm up my vaginal canal and another pressing on my uterus. Even though I had an epidural, it was so painful," Colleen said, describing the intense physical discomfort she endured.
Amid the chaos, Colleen's husband was also struggling to cope with the situation. He was torn between tending to his wife or their newborn, who had been whisked away. "I think he was in panic mode because he doesn't do well with this stuff, but somehow he didn't pass out," Colleen says.
As the situation finally began to calm down, Colleen was introduced to the reality of her postpartum journey. Despite her initial plan to breastfeed, a nurse informed her that she needed to start pumping immediately. "It wasn't even a thought in my head," Colleen admitted.
Fortunately, the nurse brought in a hospital pump and showed her how to use it, guiding her through the unfamiliar process. Colleen had to pump every three hours, an unexpected and challenging task amid her recovery.
NICU Stay and Homecoming
After giving birth, Colleen Wood faced several challenges due to the magnesium treatment she received. She wasn't able to get out of bed for 24 hours after the delivery, leaving her bedridden with a catheter and a pump, unable to visit her baby in the NICU until Saturday night.
Her husband went to see their son on Friday night, but when he returned to the room, he was emotional. Colleen recalls, “He just walked in crying, and I was freaking out because I was thinking the absolute worst.” Seeing their baby hooked up to wires and tubes was an overwhelming experience for both of them.
Due to the hospital's COVID-19 visitor policy, Colleen's husband could only visit their son once, and they couldn't go together. Colleen reflects on the emotional toll of this situation, saying, "It was just wild and very emotional being in the NICU alone, staring at your little baby in a box with all those tubes."
She was finally able to hold her baby and feed him a bottle on Sunday night, but breastfeeding was a struggle due to the circumstances. "I was wearing a mask in the NICU, trying to look down and breastfeed for the first time. It was just not working," she recalls.
As if the NICU experience wasn't challenging enough, Colleen and her husband also had to navigate the chaos in the city due to the George Floyd protests, which made getting to the hospital even more stressful.
Colleen’s son had to stay in the NICU for a week due to several health concerns, including jaundice, low muscle tone, and feeding issues. Finally, on the following Friday, they were able to bring him home. "It was a journey to get there," Colleen says, expressing relief that they could finally leave the hospital.
Reflecting on her NICU experience, Colleen appreciates the support from the nurses, who she describes as "always great," but she also had to step up in unexpected ways. "Since I was the only one going and doing all the diaper changes and everything, I had to then go home and teach my husband. It was a new thing for me, but I had to teach him because he had no idea."
Recovery and Reflection
Despite the challenges, Colleen's recovery went relatively smoothly: "For as traumatic as everything was, I didn't feel like my recovery was that bad. Thank God they didn't do the episiotomy because I didn't end up tearing up. So that part of my recovery was fine."
"Just having someone else there for you in your corner is a huge support."
Looking back on her experience, Colleen emphasizes the importance of being informed and flexible. "Just go in being aware and informed of all of the options, all the possibilities,” says Colleen. “Not all of them are happy, but it's good to know about them and be flexible be aware other factors might happen."
Colleen emphasizes the importance of accepting help from others. “Have a good support team, if you can, whether that's your partner, doula, midwife, whoever it is. Just having someone else there for you in your corner is a huge support."
