Husband convinced her to go to the ER after she mistook rib pain for a ‘muscle pull’ — the diagnosis left her grateful for his instinct
A new mom recovering from childbirth initially believed she was dealing with a routine muscle pull, a common discomfort during the postpartum period. The situation changed when her husband and mother-in-law became increasingly concerned about her symptoms and urged her to seek emergency medical care, as reported by Newsweek on Saturday, January 24, 2026. Their decision to push for a hospital visit, despite her doubts, later proved critical. Nikki Bahan, a then 32-year-old mother of three, shared her experience on TikTok under the handle @nikkisplate on December 12, 2025, describing the importance of listening to family during recovery.
@nikkisplate Postpartum Pulmonary embolism survivor 🩸🙏 #pulmonaryembolism #bloodclot #bloodclotsurvivor #pulmonaryembolismsurvivor #pulmonaryembolismawareness ♬ original sound - certainlybee
In her viral TikTok clip with more than 1.3 million views, Nikki was walking with her baby while short onscreen text explained what she felt in the days after giving birth. The text read, “At 3 weeks postpartum, you will feel like you pulled a muscle in your back. Your husband will convince you to go to the hospital. It's very important that you do.” At the time, she believed the pain was minor. It started in her mid-back near the rib area and slowly wrapped toward the front of her body. Within a day, the discomfort became hard to ignore. “I couldn’t lay flat without feeling like I was drowning,” she later told the outlet, explaining how her breathing worsened quickly.
As the pain continued, her husband and her mother-in-law grew more concerned, especially because Nikki had a history of kidney stones. As her breathing grew increasingly strained, her family made it clear that seeking immediate medical care could not be delayed. Looking back, Nikki said, “I’m so grateful they trusted their instincts.” At the hospital, doctors first checked for common issues such as kidney or gallbladder problems, but initial scans showed no clear cause. Because she had recently given birth, doctors decided to investigate further and ordered additional tests.
Those tests revealed a serious and unexpected diagnosis. Scans showed multiple blood clots in her right lung, along with pneumonia and fluid buildup. Nikki was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism and treated immediately with blood thinners and antibiotics. The weeks following childbirth often come with a higher risk of blood clots due to natural changes in the body, a risk doctors believe may have been increased by pneumonia and possibly influenced by a COVID-19 infection during Nikki's third trimester.
According to the Mayo Clinic, a pulmonary embolism occurs when blood flow to an artery is blocked. This obstruction can be extremely dangerous and potentially fatal. Receiving fast treatment significantly lowers the risk of serious complications or death.
Recovery was long and emotionally difficult for the new mom. “I’ve never been so afraid in my life. Pulmonary embolisms are rare, but they can be fatal—and that reality hit me hard,” Nikki said. While healing has not been easy, she remains thankful to be on the recovery side and continues to focus on awareness for other new mothers. Nikki, who is now 34, said she is recovering physically but that the experience has had a lasting effect on her perspective. She continues to manage post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from the ordeal and receives professional support to work through the emotional impact. "Healing isn’t linear, but I’m on the recovery side now."
For more postpartum-related content, follow @nikkisplate on TikTok.