“Every Ounce Mattered” — Colleen Meehan on Pregnancy Loss, Preeclampsia, and Life After Kyleigh
In this episode of The Rainbow Connection, Colleen shares the story of her daughter, Kyleigh, conceived after years of infertility and IVF. Her pregnancy — filled with hope, anxiety, and countless ultrasounds — took a sudden turn when decreased cord blood flow and rapidly escalating blood pressure revealed severe preeclampsia. At just 27 weeks and 5 days, Colleen delivered baby Kyleigh, who entered the world fighting with every ounce of strength she had. Colleen and her husband held her, loved her, and spent sacred hours with her in the NICU before she passed. This is a story of pregnancy loss, premature birth, motherhood after loss, and the deep imprint one tiny life can leave on the world.
We talk about:
The long journey through infertility, IVF, and finally seeing a positive pregnancy test
Anxiety during pregnancy after years of trauma and uncertainty
Decreased cord blood flow, preeclampsia, and conflicting medical advice
The maternal-fetal medicine doctor who helped save precious hours with Kyleigh
The emergency C-section at 27 weeks and Kyleigh’s beautiful birth
Meeting their daughter — her long legs, her fighting spirit, and her tiny movements
The moment everything changed in the NICU
Holding her, baptizing her, and the sacred time gifted through the cuddle cot
The community who showed up with love, cards, and gestures that meant everything
What life looks like now and the ongoing reality of postpartum after loss
This episode is a tender, powerful reminder that grief and beauty can coexist — and that birth, even in loss, can absolutely be sacred.
Get to Know COLLEEN:
Colleen lives in the quiet hills of Sayre, Pennsylvania, with her husband and their two dogs — and, most recently, a pair of very loved pigs. She has been with her husband since they were sixteen and now teaches sixth grade at a small, close-knit school just over the New York border. When she’s not in the classroom, you can usually find her on the porch with a good book. Colleen is the proud mother of her daughter, Kyleigh, whose short but powerful life continues to shape her heart and her work in the world.
Instagram: @coll.meehan and @kyleighslove_lives
