Meghan Markle on Preeclampsia, Potty Training and Building a Business

So much of the postpartum period happens behind closed doors—from the mental load to the physical recovery to the quiet grind of figuring out how to be a parent and a professional at the same time. Hoping to bring more visibility to this often overlooked chapter, Meghan Markle recently sat down with fellow mom and Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd to talk about the reality of postpartum recovery and all of the days that come after as a working parent.

“We both had very similar experiences—though we didn’t know each other at the time—with postpartum, and we both had preeclampsia. Postpartum preeclampsia,” the Duchess of Sussex shared on her new podcast Confessions of a Female Founder.. “It’s so rare and so scary. And you’re still trying to juggle all of these things, and the world doesn’t know what’s happening quietly. And in the quiet, you’re still trying to show up for people—mostly for your children—but those things are huge medical scares.”

While Markle didn’t specify whether the experience followed the birth of Prince Archie, now 5, or Princess Lilibet, 3, her reflection emphasized how physically and emotionally disorienting the postpartum period can be, especially when struggling with complications or health issues. “Postpartum is wild. It’s almost like one foot in one world and one foot in another world and it’s a very confusing place to live in,” added Wolfe Herd.

The two also reflected on how different—and in some ways, how fortunate—their postpartum experiences were thanks to the flexibility of a post-pandemic, remote-work world. “What I do love the most about having young kids, in this chapter while I’m building [business], is the perspective that it brings,” Meghan said. “Because you’re building something while your child’s going through potty training… and both are just as important… It’s like, ‘Great, okay, where’s the Cheerios? Well done.’ And then you’re championing your team 10 minutes later about something that is really high value for the world. In your own world, that’s super high value. And in [Lili’s] world, that’s super high value.”

“I love that. I think that perspective is beautiful, and I don’t think they’re all that dissimilar,” added Wolfe Herd. “I think it’s about making space for all of it and allowing all the beautiful chaos to exist. I love that my children know that Mommy is going to a meeting because Mommy works. I think it shows them that there’s structure—there are times during the day for play, and there are times during the day to be serious and get things done.”

“Technology is a beautiful tool for parents because you can dial in and be present and do a great job on the call while you sit in the carpool line outside school,” Wolfe Herd said. “Like, why do I need to be at a desk? I have the same mental opinion in a carpool line.”

As Meghan builds her new lifestyle brand As Ever while navigating motherhood, she’s opening up about what that process really looks like. Her new podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, produced by Lemonada Media, features candid conversations with other women who’ve scaled businesses while balancing family, identity and ambition. It’s a raw, real look at what it means to grow something meaningful—as a mom, and as a woman.