upworthy

motherhood

Women's Health

Three moms share how they survived pregnancy related heart failure and symptoms to look for

Black women are at a much higher risk for the rare condition and no one knows why.

Photo credit: Canva

Moms share their symptoms of pregnancy related heart failure.

While many view pregnancy as not only natural but a beautiful part of the human experience, it can be easy to forget that pregnancy can also be extremely dangerous. The body goes through many intense changes that can really take a heavy toll: everything from gaining an extra 15 to 30+ pounds and organs being rearranged to make room for a growing fetus, to your heart pumping an excess amount of blood throughout the body.

It can all take an immense toll on the body, which can sometimes lead to serious pregnancy related illnesses like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, hyperemesis gravidarum, and heart failure. Upworthy spoke with three women during Black Maternal Health Week (April 11-17, 2025) who survived peripartum cardiomyopathy, better known as pregnancy related heart failure. Though the condition is extremely rare, Black women are at a much higher risk of experiencing it though researchers currently aren't sure why.

pregnancy, mothers, babies, black mothers, black maternal health weekDoctor checking on a pregnant woman. Photo credit: Canva

Tina Marsden, Tracey Young and Tiara Johnson all experienced pregnancy related heart failure during pregnancy or shortly after the birth of their second children. Given their unique experiences, they are all working to make sure other women know what symptoms to look for so they can be treated early to improve chances of survival.

Each of the women had symptoms that could've been brushed off as normal symptoms of pregnancy. In fact, Marsden's symptoms were initially dismissed. "Looking back, I experienced abnormal levels of fluid retention and shortness of breath during my last trimester," she said. "I was already on bedrest due to an incompetent cervix that caused me to start dilating at just 13 weeks into my pregnancy. Even still, my symptoms were considered normal for a high risk pregnancy, instead of being viewed as warning signs for my individual case."

pregnant woman, pregnancy, pregnancy health, black maternal health week, womenPregnant woman looks at a tablet while holding her belly. Photo credit: Canva

While both Young and Johnson's symptoms were marked by shortness of breath, Young nearly missed the warning sign, telling Upworthy, "Shortly after giving birth to my second child, Amber, I began experiencing shortness of breath. Initially, I attributed this to the physical demands of having just given birth and chose to overlook it. However, as the weeks progressed and the symptoms persisted, I started to wonder if I was developing asthma. I found it difficult to lie flat on my back, and even a brief shower left me feeling exhausted as if I had just run a marathon. After six weeks of these symptoms, I decided to schedule an appointment with my Primary Care Physician."

Johnson also initially dismissed the warning. Having a baby is taxing on the body, so it's unsurprising that some of the symptoms were attributed to recently giving birth. "I was out of breath doing small things like just walking from one room to another. At first, I chalked it up to having just had a baby, but deep down, I knew something wasn’t right. I felt nothing like I did with my first daughter and fatigue was beyond 'new mom tired.' My heart would race, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe both laying down and sitting up."

pregnant woman, black woman, black maternal health week, motherhood, doctor, Doctor examines a pregnant woman.Photo credit: Canva

One might think that recognizing the symptoms would be enough to get the care that is needed, but unfortunately that isn't always the case. Johnson had to visit the hospital multiple times just to get someone to listen to her, she explains to Upworthy: "Yes, I had a lot of trouble. I went to the hospital multiple times before anyone really listened to me. I kept being told it was postpartum anxiety or just stress from being a new mom but it was heart failure. I needed a transplant from the start, but my heart was too weak and my BMI was too high to qualify. I had to fight for every ounce of care I got."

Marsden also found herself fighting to get the medical attention that she initially needed. "While I was under the care of a high risk ob/gyn I still felt like my concerns were not being heard. I encourage expecting mothers to seek a second opinion, and not allow their individual case to be dismissed as 'normal.' There's a thin line between normal symptoms and warning signs of pregnancy induced heart failure, which can have life-altering effects. It's been over two decades since my PPCM diagnosis; and thankfully my Abbott HeartMate II LVAD is helping me to sustain life."

pregnant woman, woman with child, kids, pregnant, pregnancy, pregnancy heart failure. Pregnant woman. Photo credit: Canva

The story of trying to convince medical professionals to take concerns seriously seems to be a common theme, but thankfully Young found a listening ear in her primary care physician. It was during her routine checkup that she mentioned her elevated blood pressure at her last OBGYN check up, Young says the conversation ended there. "After my evaluation, my Primary Care Physician promptly responded to my medical needs by contacting 911, which led to my transportation to the hospital’s emergency room. The hospital cardiologist diagnosed me with Post-Partum Cardiomyopathy. The prognosis I was given was grim, as I was told I would not live to see my daughter turn five."

It was due to the women's determination to advocate for themselves that they're still here to tell their stories to shed light for other expectant moms. The biggest piece of advice all the women give is to listen to your body if something doesn't feel right.

pregnant woman, pregnancy, woman eating, woman with child, pregnant Pregnancy can be high risk for some. Photo credit: Canva

"If you feel unsure about your health or believe something might be wrong, please don’t hesitate to seek medical advice immediately. Having questions is normal, and being your advocate during this time is so important," Young says.

"My advice to expectant moms is not to be afraid or dismissive. Some moms hear stories from others and fear the worst, while others assume those cases are just 'rare' incidents. I encourage expectant moms to consider the experiences shared by advocates like myself as Awareness Tools. Expectant moms should discuss the various Awareness Tools they've come across with their healthcare team to devise a plan that best fits their family's needs," Marsden shares.

"To anyone who feels something is off—please don’t ignore it. Push for answers. Advocate for yourself and don’t stop until you get the care you deserve. You don’t have to be a doctor to know something’s wrong in your body. Never be afraid to get a second opinion," Johnson adds.

pregnancy, pregnant woman, ultrasound, pregnancy health, maternal healthcareWoman receiving an ultrasound. Photo credit: Canva

Each of these women have become advocates so no other mom has to go through what they have without being armed with knowledge. They were all helped by ABBOTT heart devices that gave their doctors real-time readings of what their hearts were doing. Though, Johnson ultimately ended up getting a heart transplant, she credits her ABBOTT devices with giving her the life she thought she'd lose back to her.

"Receiving a diagnosis of heart failure doesn’t signify the end; instead, it opens the door to a new way of living life. Thanks to numerous medical advancements, people with heart failure can achieve a fulfilling life," reveals Young.

From Your Site Articles
pregnancy related heart failure symptoms
Joy

People are finding healing from woman's sweet 'welcome to girls night in your 30s' video

"This is the post every girl needs to see."

@danilyndesign/TikTok

30s look different for everyone

A 6-second video showing a handful of 30-something friends having a “girl’s night” is striking a heart nourishing nerve for millions.

In the video, posted by @danilyndesign, the camera pans over the group as the caption depicts the scene:

“Girls nights in your 30s. We're holding one girl’s babies, one girl is showing her hinge matches, while another girl is laughing about her ex husband.”

And then, Dani drives the point home:

“You’re never behind in life. You are exactly where you are meant to be right now.”


@danilyndesign Girls nights in your 30’s are what my younger self dreamed of. #girlhood #femalefriendship #girlsintheir30s #girlsnight ♬ Take My Hand - Matt Berry


With its simple yet profound message, it’s no wonder that the clip quickly racked up nearly 6.5 million views on TikTok, and spawned a ton of lovely conversations.

For one thing, people noted how it added a touch of nuance to the “it takes a village” concept. Often we think of villages as a necessity (or luxury, these days) for parents only, when in fact having a safe community is vital for everyone.

“This is ‘the village’! It's not moms at the center, it’s everyone that matters and everyone’s lives are valued and respected," one person commented.

Viewers also felt a sense of relief seeing how each chapter of life seemed to be fully embraced by the friend group. After all, everyone in their 30s has had their own personal set of milestones, challenges, heartbreaks, existential crises, that have helped shape the adult they are. Not always, but often, a lot of the arbitrary pressures we put on ourselves begin to dissolve by this age, so that we can better appreciate where we actually are in life, wherever that may be.

girls night, 30s, friends, making friends, motherhood, heartwarming, milestones, life in your 30s, first babyLadies having a girls' nightPhoto credit: Canva

“Beautiful and remember no matter where you are in the journey, we are allll just figuring it out day by day. Find joy in it wherever you can” one person wrote.

Another added, “I want to tell every woman stressed in their twenties that their thirties will be better, they just need to trust themselves and hang in there.”

“This is the post post every girl needs to see,” wrote a third. “You’re exactly where you need to be.”

For some, this particular insight came at just the write time.

“Needed this. I’m 28 turning 29. My besties are all either engaged/married with a kid and I can’t get past the talking stage. Then I remember our paths are different and I’m where I need to be right now,” confessed one viewer.

girls night, 30s, friends, making friends, motherhood, heartwarming, milestones, life in your 30s, first babyA woman showing off her engagement ringPhoto credit: Canva

Lastly, people had so much love for how this perfectly captured the immense value of long-term friendship. As one person wrote, "growing and evolving with friends is the most beautiful thing. They’ve seen so many versions of us and love them all.”

Another said, “Like in White Lotus when she said ‘I;m just happy to be at the table.’”

As cliché as it is, life truly isn’t about the destination—it’s about the journey. And those beloved relationships we cultivate along the way. We all contain multitudes, and hopefully our friend hangs can help remind us of that when we need it.

From Your Site Articles
friendship

Kindergartener tries to get out of going to school by leaving a voicemail imitating her dad

The school alerted her mom to the hilarious voicemail.

Photo credit: Canva

Kindergartener calls school impersonating dad to pull a Ferris Bueller.

Kindergarten is hard. Nowadays there's a lot less playing and many school districts have cut out naps and half-day programs in exchange for more seated, curriculum-heavy work. Sometimes the shift in workload can feel like a little too much, especially for a kindergartener named Lyric. The little girl decided to take a day to herself to reflect on the hard work she's doing in kindergarten. The only problem is she didn't her parents.

Instead, Lyric decided to call her elementary school the evening prior to her self-scheduled mini vacation and impersonate her father. She left a very clever voicemail in the attendance office informing them that she would not be attending school the following day. To disguise her voice, she spoke as deeply as possible and hoped that would do the trick. The only problem with her genius plan was that she's not in charge of taking herself to school.

gif, school, skipping school, day off, kidsEpisode 7 No School GIF by South ParkGiphy

Skipping school, or in this case, attempting to skip school is nothing new. Students have been skipping out on classes since the first school house was built because, even before iPads, playing with a ball in a cup was more exciting than classwork for most students. The 1986 movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off is all about a kid who decided to skip school, though Ferris was a wee bit older than a kindergartener.

Lyric's mom had no idea her daughter attempted to get out of going to school until she was called into the office about the voicemail. Surprisingly, though, Lyric's school wasn't upset with her. The elementary school officials found the voicemail amusing and wanted to share the unbelievable impersonation with her mom.

gif, skip school, day off, Ferris bueller, fiilm Ferris Buellers Day Off Film GIFGiphy

"I don't know what I did to deserve a daughter like mine but let me tell y'all what just happened," Tyonda, the girl's mother, starts to explain in her video uploaded to TikTok. "I go to drop her off at school, the ladies in the front office are like, 'yeah, we we received a message last night,." Tyonda already suspected the message was from her daughter. "I'm never amazed. It's like the element of surprise with her. So, they play the message back. My daughter tried to act like her daddy and call herself out of school. What in the Ferris Bueller is going on here? Baby, you're in kindergarten."

You can listen to Lyric's attempt at her dad's voice here:

@keepingupwityonda Help me!! #fypシ #viral #kidsoftiktok #kidsbelike #Capcut ♬ original sound - The only LaYonda Reann 💛

Apparently, the girl's impersonation of her father's voice is much deeper voice than his actual voice, which is pretty impressive for a six-year-old girl. People found Lyric's antics highly amusing, with some issuing warnings for the girl's teenage years, "Buckle up honey, the next 13-14 years bout to be wild."

"I’m expecting a teenager a KINDERGARTENER???!!!" one person writes.

"We need to hear daddy’s voice before we can say if it was or wasn’t him," another jokes.

gif, hide, imposter, joke, prank, funnySunglasses Hiding GIF by Soul TrainGiphy

"The thing is ..... this was practiced and planned. she had the number, the voice and a mission," someone shares.

"But wait yall have to drop her off at school where was she gonna go if that worked?" another commenter asks.

Lyric was unconvinced that she did not sound exactly like her dad. In a follow up video the little girl insists that she sounds like her father and reveals she was able to get the number to the school from Apple Maps on her iPad. It also seems that Lyric has zero regrets and plans to continue her shenanigans well into high school.

@keepingupwityonda

Replying to @itsshamitch💋

From Your Site Articles
skipping school
Modern Families

Mom asked other parents to share their most 'unhinged' parenting hacks, and they delivered

These are indeed the "craziest hacks of the 21st century."

Photo credit: Canva

Kids watching television

You can read all the books, listen to all the advice, join all the FB groups, and still, you won’t be fully prepared for every parenting curve ball that comes your way. During these times of, let’s face it, desperation, parents might get a little creative. Perhaps a little white lie here, and gamification of something there, whatever does the trick.

Recently a mom named Michaela Estrada, who had two boys under the age of four and hoped to have more kids in the future, asked fellow moms to share their “most unhinged” hacks.

She further clarified her request, writing, “I’m not talking about letting them run around naked and unashamed in the backyard. I need the craziest hacks of the 21st century.”

parenting, parenting hacks, motherhood, mom hacks, mommy fb group, mommy blogger, kids, parenting humorTikTok · Michaela Estradawww.tiktok.com

Millions of views later, folks delivered. Big time. And boy are they a fun read, whether you’re a parent or not. As one viewer said, “do I have a kid? No. did I read all of these comments? Yes.”

Here are some of our faves:

"We did Cinderella Sundays. We cleaned all morning, then they wore their princess dresses to our fancy candle-lit dinner, followed by a dance party 'ball.'"

@sari.rous.c mi hermanita🤣 #cenicienta #limpiando #jajajaj🤣 ♬ sonido original - Jhos y luz 3

"I use a kabuki brush to put sunscreen on my son while saying 'tickle tickle' over and over again. It's the only way he'll stay still for a minute for me to make sure he's covered."

"Whenever it's bed time and they are still stuck to Netflix or similar, I change the language to Greek or polish and tell them they don't understand cause they are too tired and it's bed time!"

"My mom hid all my dolls and stuffed animals and said they ran away 'cause my room was dirty. They sent a 'postcard' from another kid's clean room. When I cleaned [my room] they returned."

parenting, parenting hacks, motherhood, mom hacks, mommy fb group, mommy blogger, kids, parenting humorStuffed animalsPhoto credit: Canva

"My mom used to tell us she was allergic to loud noises, so when she was overstimulated, she would say she was having an allergic reaction. [It] worked until a doctor asked me if any allergies ran in the family."

"Our parents told us that whining was illegal in Cape Cod (where we vacationed in the early 2000s), and when we'd hear sirens [it meant] 'someone must have been whining.' We believed them for YEARSSS!"

"Potty room for potty words! My 3-year-old will excuse himself to the bathroom to 'curse' and we’ll hear him going 'dang it,' 'what the heck,' 'Imma beat up all the strangers,' and it has us DYING!"

@dntuncontained #badwords #badkids #parenting #Moms #Dads #cursewords #bathroom #slick #talk #whatyousay #pottymouth #littlegurl #caughtyou #what #sayit #dntuncontained #fytシ #fytiktok #govirl #funnyvideo ♬ original sound - DNT UncontaineD


"Told the kids that Santa/Easter Bunny/Tooth Fairy had to follow OSHA standards for workplace safety. They wouldn’t come if their room was a mess with tripping hazards."

"Gave my daughter a bag and told her to 'go shopping' for toys at our house. Five minutes later, she had picked up everything off the floor and put it in her bag."

"My mom told me and my brothers if we hid from her in the clothing racks at stores the employees would take us and turn us into mannequins."

parenting, parenting hacks, motherhood, mom hacks, mommy fb group, mommy blogger, kids, parenting humorA child mannequinPhoto credit: Canva

"We have pet fish, and I told my kids they are Santa’s secret spies all year long to make sure they are behaving. When they get crazy, I whisper, 'The fish are watching.' They love and fear the spy fish."

"Who wants to guess what mommy is going to get you for your birthday?! Then I go buy that. Same with Santa."

"My daughter fights sleep like a Roman gladiator because she has chronic FOMO (fear of missing out), so we brainstorm something fun to do in our dreams together so she ends up in a hurry to meet dinosaurs together or something."

@crazy.kids74 When your kid uses any excuses not to sleep #kids #baby #funny #funnykids #crazykids #reel #fyp #viral #pov #hungry #excusess #sleeptime ♬ original sound - Crazy Kids

"When my daughter was little, she wanted to say swear words. We told her swear words are for adults but she could make up her own for kids. She chose 'Stewart.' 'This traffic is a real Stewart.'"

"I told my kids that the ice cream man plays music to let everyone know he's sorry, but he’s out of ice cream and hopes we enjoy the music and to try again tomorrow."

"When my mom folded laundry she dumped all the socks on the floor and sat us down around them. Whoever got the most pairs won. We had so much fun and she didn't have to sort them."

parenting, parenting hacks, motherhood, mom hacks, mommy fb group, mommy blogger, kids, parenting humorcolorful socksPhoto credit: Canva

"I tell them their tongue is constantly growing new taste buds so they should keep trying new food even if they didn’t like them last time. Is this true? Idk, my dad told me the same thing."

"Make your child a Gmail account with their name before it gets taken. Then send them photos, videos, messages, etc. throughout their life so they have a digital journal of their childhood."

"We told my son broccoli, zucchini and Brussels sprouts grows muscles, and we do an arm muscle check after he eats. He gets so excited that he eats it all. We 'oooh and ahhh,' and he just giggles."

@laceygregory1 Broccoli: 1, Baby: 0 🥦 #NotAFan #broccoli #drama ♬ original sound - Lacey Gregory

"My kid HATES teethbrushing but likes blowing out candles, so we brush teeth by candlelight then let her blow them out."

"When my friend's teens acted up, instead of grounding them, she would ground herself. For example, 'I'm sorry, I would love to drive you to the mall, but unfortunately I'm grounded.'"

"Ever since my daughter was little I’d give her an imaginary chill pill to eat when she was acting crazy. She’s eight and still 'takes them' to calm down."

parenting, parenting hacks, motherhood, mom hacks, mommy fb group, mommy blogger, kids, parenting humorA fiction bottle of "chill pills"Photo credit: Canva

"My kid's preferred method of washing the soap from his hair is if we pretend to waterboard him while screaming, 'Where's the muffin man?' He used to freak before my husband started doing this."

"If they want to tattle I tell them I can’t hear another tattle and that our dog Archie will listen to the tattle and report it back to me. So they go lay it all out to the dog."

"When my daughter gets her burst of energy late at night, I turn on kids' exercise videos on YouTube, and since she does them, it tires her out enough that she knocks out right after."

@sprinkleinlearning Core and Cones 💪 This challenge always gets my competitive kiddos off the couch. They don’t even realize they are working on core, stability, reactive agility and more! #sprinkleinlearning #coreworkout #coreworkouts #corework #corechallenge #stability #react #reactiontime #situps #kidsactivity #kidsactivityideas #kidactivities #kidactivity #grossmotor #grossmotorskills #grossmotordevelopment #muscletone #lowmuscletone #physicaltherapy #keepkidsactive #activekids #activekidsarehappykids #healthykids #workoutforbeginners #playideas #playideasforkids #playidea #momlife #momof3 #parenthood ♬ Let's Workout - Vin Music


"Speed bumps and oil spots in parking lots are kids that got ran over, because they didn't hold their parents' hand."

"Not unhinged, but literally the best thing I ever did was make myself understand that it's their first time here. They are still learning how to do the things I find easy."

"My mom pulled us out of school individually on different days without telling us when and would surprise us with lunch at Olive Garden. She'd then ask us really personal questions to gauge how we were doing."

parenting, parenting hacks, motherhood, mom hacks, mommy fb group, mommy blogger, kids, parenting humorA family at an Italian restaurantPhoto credit: Canva

"Making a 'kids charcuterie board' by putting mostly healthy options on it — you’d be surprised how much they eat and test out new and healthy foods."

"I used to buy scary masks and put them in the cupboards that I didn’t want them to get into when they inevitably broke the child lock. They don’t even open them now, lol."

"Let them help cook! My twins are autistic and were such picky eaters because of the textures. Once I started letting them cook with me, they started eating a lot more and wanting to try new foods!"

@cookingwithcarter Todaaay we are making a cheese and @Heinz UK bean toastie with our @TheCrimpit 😁 #food #toddler #toddlersoftiktok #cooking #fyp #gordonramsay #cookingwithcarter #cookinghacks #kids #chef #cheflife #masterchef #jamieoliver #toastie ♬ Christmas Is Coming - DM Production

"Every time my kids cried, I told them to drink water because their tears would run out. They drink the water, and then they stop crying, also, when they don't listen to you, they start to whisper."

"My kids don’t get in trouble if they’re honest. No punishment if you fess up to doing the wrong thing. We’ll talk about it, but no punishment. They make the right choices 99% of the time. When they make mistakes, they call me when they’re uncomfortable with situations their friends are trying to get them in, etc. It’s been life-changing. No sneaky kids."

"I taught my kids that the TV needs to charge so when they’re done screen time. I just say, 'Okay guys, the TV needs to charge now,' and it goes off. They fully believe the TV charges."

parenting, parenting hacks, motherhood, mom hacks, mommy fb group, mommy blogger, kids, parenting humorKids watching televisionPhoto credit: Canva

"As toddlers, when you put them to bed, give them three tickets. They can use the tickets for water, the bathroom, or a question. After the tickets are gone, that's it."

"Every Oct/Nov/Dec I change their dad's name in my phone to Santa Clause that way, they see it on my screen or in the car (they read the screen in the car a lot) they think it’s Santa checking in."

And lastly:

"Bedtime hack: ask your kids what they want to have as a bedtime story about, and have ChatGPT make it. Bonus, add their names to include them in the story!"

@megan.bennett.freeman AI customized bedtime stories for the win! #parenting #ai #chatgpt #bedtimeroutine #toddler #mom #greenscreen ♬ original sound - Megan
From Your Site Articles
parenting
Trending Stories