Sofia Richie reveals being hospitalized with rare health condition shortly after giving birth to baby girl

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Sofia Richie recently revealed a health crisis she faced just two days after welcoming her daughter, Eloise, with husband Elliot Grainge.

During an appearance on the 'She MD' podcast, Richie shared that she had been hospitalized after developing postpartum preeclampsia, a rare and serious condition that can affect new mothers shortly after childbirth.

Reflecting on the frightening experience, Richie explained how the condition came on suddenly, causing her to experience severe swelling and dangerously high blood pressure, as per Page Six.

Sofia Richie opens up about suffering from postpartum preeclampsia

“I went home and I blew up like a balloon. Quite literally, just swelled,” Sofia Richie, model and daughter of music legend Lionel Richie, said candidly on the podcast.

“I felt very ill … So [the doctor] sent over her wonderful nurse, and my blood pressure was 165 over 103.”

Dr Thais Aliabadi, co-host of the podcast, interrupted to explain the specifics of what Richie was going through.

“Postpartum preeclampsia,” Aliabadi noted, “is a condition that can arise after giving birth, causing high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine.”

This rare but serious condition can result in seizures, strokes, or organ damage if left untreated, making Richie's swift return to the hospital a necessary precaution.

As Richie recounted the ordeal, her sense of dread became evident, particularly regarding leaving her newborn daughter so soon after birth.

“I hid in the closet and cried,” she admitted, overwhelmed by the thought of being separated from Eloise.

The pressure to return to the hospital wasn’t just emotional—it was medical. Her husband, Elliot, played a pivotal role in ensuring Richie received proper care.

“My poor husband was like, ‘I have to get you to the hospital because the doctor is saying it’s just not safe. It’s not safe that you’re home,’” she recalled. Reluctantly, Richie was admitted to the hospital for 24 hours of monitoring and treatment.

While the situation was medically necessary, Richie found the separation from her newborn daughter especially challenging. “It was really, really, really hard,” she confessed.

Sofia Richie reveals feeling 'mom guilt' while away from newborn daughter

Sofia Richie’s hospitalization only added to the emotional struggles she was already experiencing as a new mother.

During her time away from Eloise, Richie said she was overwhelmed by "mom guilt," a feeling familiar to many mothers.

The anxiety of missing her daughter’s first moments weighed heavily on her, as she felt torn between her health and her desire to be fully present for Eloise.

“I didn’t want to miss a moment,” Richie shared, emphasizing how difficult it was to leave her baby girl behind, even for a brief time.

What made things worse was the idea of someone else stepping in to care for her daughter while she recovered.

“I didn’t want someone else raising my kid,” she admitted, expressing a common sentiment for mothers navigating the delicate balance between self-care and caregiving.

In the hospital, she discussed these feelings with medical staff, acknowledging her gratitude for the support system she had in place, but also her deep personal need to be the one to care for her child.

“Yes, I feel so blessed and fortunate to be able to have people help me and to be able to have support, but I also am not interested in someone raising my kid,” she said.

Richie further explained, “I wouldn’t have had a kid if I wasn’t ready to take that on.”

While her experience with preeclampsia was physically taxing, Richie’s internal struggle with “mom guilt” also loomed large.

Balancing her recovery and her role as a mother was no easy task, but Richie made it clear that she was determined to be there for Eloise every step of the way.