Victoria, New York

Finding Strength in an Unexpected Moment

I never imagined motherhood would look like this.

My first pregnancy in 2017 was joyful, healthy, and uncomplicated. When I became pregnant again five years later, life had changed. My family had endured the loss of my mother and the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was carrying both grief and hope into this new chapter.

But nothing prepared me for delivering my son Micah three months early because of severe preeclampsia. I had never known motherhood with an unwell baby. I didn’t know how much strength it would require, or how lonely those first days in the NICU would feel.

Micah spent weeks fighting to breathe, eat, and grow. Every day brought another specialist: neonatology, cardiology, neurology. And with every appointment came a fear familiar to too many families: How are we going to afford this?

I wanted to be strong for my baby, but I needed someone to be strong with me.

Victoria

Early intervention returns up to $16 for every $1 invested.

The Support That Helped Me Become the Mom I Imagined

The turning point came when we were connected to HealthySteps. Their team didn’t just focus on Micah’s medical needs, they wrapped themselves around our whole family.

Through their parent support programs, I began to rebuild my confidence and learn real, practical tools for managing stress, staying grounded, and connecting with my child during moments of overwhelm. I was no longer navigating postpartum stress in silence or shame. I had a guide.

Micah needed ongoing support, too. Because he was born so early, his development needed close watching. They stood with us through his autism diagnosis, supported early intervention referrals, and guided us through evaluations and doctor visits.

They helped us access therapies that can cost families $40,000 to $60,000 a year without support. They made sure Micah wasn’t left waiting—because babies don’t wait.

Turning My Story Into Action

Because HealthySteps made such a concrete, life-changing impact on our family, I felt called to do more. I started sharing my story locally, then on Capitol Hill. I met with Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Hakeem Jeffries to talk about the difference programs like HealthySteps make for real families, especially when Medicaid helps open the door.

And when Governor Hochul released New York’s first-ever Report on Maternal Mental Health, I felt compelled to write to her. I wanted her to know that the programs she was recognizing aren’t abstract; they are lifelines for moms like me.

My journey proved something I now hold close: we thrive when we stand with families, not apart from them. Believing in babies means believing in their parents, their caregivers, and the systems that surround them.

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