Hailey Bieber Opens Up About the Postpartum Struggle She Didn’t Expect

Getty

Image Credit: James Devaney/GC Images via Getty Images

Hailey Bieber‘s premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) symptoms became an unexpected part of her life after giving birth to son Jack Blues. The condition left the model dealing with emotional changes she said felt far more intense than the premenstrual symptoms she had experienced before pregnancy.

Bieber, 29, first revealed earlier this year that she was diagnosed with PMDD about six months after becoming a mother. Now, the Rhode founder is reflecting on the experience again and explaining why motherhood changed the way she thinks about women’s health.

“After I had my son, I struggled with that a bit, and there’s just not a lot of conversation or research around it,” Bieber recently told Women’s Wear Daily. Bieber said talking openly about those experiences helps her feel less alone.

Hailey Bieber Says PMDD Felt Different After Childbirth

Bieber first discussed the diagnosis in detail during a March appearance on the “SHE MD” podcast. She explained that she had experienced premenstrual syndrome before pregnancy, but the emotional symptoms she experienced in the months after Jack’s birth felt noticeably more severe.

According to Bieber, the days before her period became especially difficult. She recalled wondering why it suddenly felt as though her “whole entire life” was going to end, describing a flood of thoughts and emotions that made everything feel like a much bigger deal.

She said those feelings would begin to ease once her period started and that her symptoms gradually became more manageable over time. Bieber’s experience should not be confused with postpartum depression. PMDD is a separate condition tied to the menstrual cycle.

According to the U.S. Office on Women’s Health, PMDD is similar to premenstrual syndrome (PMS) but causes more severe symptoms, including intense depression, anxiety and irritability in the week or two before menstruation. Symptoms typically improve within a few days after a period begins.

Motherhood Changed How Hailey Bieber Views Women’s Health

Bieber’s latest comments go beyond describing what PMDD felt like. In her recent women’s health interview, she explained that pregnancy and childbirth made her increasingly aware of the many health changes women can experience while becoming mothers.

“Especially after having my own child,” she said. “That was just a really intense and special journey that I had.” Bieber also expressed frustration over what she sees as a lack of research, awareness and open discussion surrounding several conditions affecting women.

Her interest also extends beyond her own experience. Bieber said her sister has struggled with PCOS, while several of her friends have dealt with PCOS, endometriosis and other women’s health issues.

For Bieber, simply having those conversations can make a difference. “Conversation, for me personally, makes me feel less alone,” she said, adding that being able to relate to other women can make difficult health experiences feel less like a “lonely journey.”

That perspective has now turned into something more tangible. Rhode is committing $5 million over three years to the Foundation for Women’s Health, marking the brand’s largest philanthropic investment to date, according to Bieber’s WWD interview. The commitment will support medical research, education and care in historically underfunded areas, including pregnancy and postpartum health and autoimmune conditions.

Of the $5 million, $1 million will establish the Foundation for Women’s Health Evergreen Fund, which will invest in companies developing women’s health diagnostics and treatments, with proceeds reinvested into future research.

Hailey Bieber Has Previously Called Postpartum Life Her Most Sensitive Time

PMDD is only one part of what Bieber has shared about adjusting to motherhood. EntertainmentNow previously covered the Rhode founder describing postpartum life as “the most sensitive time” she had experienced and saying she had to learn how to live as a new version of herself after Jack’s arrival.

Her delivery itself was also physically difficult, as Bieber had previously revealed that she experienced a serious postpartum hemorrhage after giving birth and required medical intervention to stop the bleeding. EntertainmentNow reported that she said the possibility of dying crossed her mind as doctors worked to control the hemorrhage.

In her latest WWD interview, Bieber said becoming a mother more broadly deepened her interest in women’s health and the issues she believes remain under-researched and under-discussed. The difficult parts of her postpartum experience have also not stopped her from considering another pregnancy.

Hailey Still Wants to Grow Her Family

Bieber has repeatedly described motherhood as something she always wanted. She and Justin Bieber welcomed Jack in August 2024, and she has since said that becoming a parent changed her life in ways she could not have completely prepared for beforehand.

EntertainmentNow previously reported that Bieber admitted she felt “not prepared” for first-time motherhood, but said the experience ultimately left her feeling much more prepared to do it again.

She has since been even clearer about wanting another child. During her appearance on “Therapuss With Jake Shane”, Bieber said, “I definitely do want one more,” while emphasizing that she is not rushing the decision.

She also left the door open to an even bigger family, joking that she could eventually have three or four more children before adding that she is taking things “one day at a time.”

For now, Bieber’s latest comments suggest motherhood has done more than give her a new family role. It has deepened her interest in women’s health and pushed her to discuss, and financially support, the issue much more publicly.