Stephanie Woodward and her husband, Ryan, always knew they wanted children even before they got married. In 2020, the couple had tied the knot, purchased land, and embarked on building a new home. Their journey to parenthood was not easy as they faced challenges in both adoption and conception. Despite initial struggles, they eventually turned to IVF, which also presented its own difficulties.
Stephanie, 36, and Ryan, 35, both grew up as wheelchair users in Rochester, New York. Their paths crossed later in life when Ryan applied for a job at the same company where Stephanie worked. Initially, Stephanie had reservations about hiring Ryan due to his Paralympic athlete background, but fate had other plans as he was hired anyway. Soon after, they began dating and by 2020, they were married and actively pursuing adoption and conception.
Their journey was marked by obstacles, including difficulties with adoption agencies questioning their ability to parent due to their disabilities, and fertility struggles that led them to IVF. Despite setbacks, including a stillborn child and multiple miscarriages, they persevered through numerous IVF transfers. Stephanie openly shared their fertility struggles online to keep loved ones informed.
Their story is a testament to resilience and hope amidst adversity, showcasing their determination to build the family they had always dreamed of.
Stephanie Woodward and her husband, Ryan, were on the verge of losing hope when they turned to foster care. In January 2024, they welcomed a 6-year-old boy into their home, and later his younger brother. Unexpectedly, as they were getting used to their new roles as parents, they discovered they were expecting not one, but three babies.
“We only planned for two, and ended up with three,” Stephanie recalls. “It was a huge, shocking surprise.”
Ryan, who works in a small family business selling industrial waste equipment, added, “We tried not to get our hopes up for too long, knowing that anything could happen. Despite being extremely excited, we kept the news to ourselves initially.”
Over time, their secret was out as their two boys suspected Stephanie was pregnant. In the summer of 2024, she shared the news with her family, as well as her TikTok community which has grown to over 61,000 followers. Throughout her pregnancy, Stephanie continued to document her journey online, posting TikTok videos of her growing belly and revealing the babies’ genders to raise awareness about parenting as a wheelchair user.
At 28 weeks, in July 2024, Stephanie went into early labor and had to undergo an emergency C-section. The triplets spent nearly three months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Despite their hectic schedule, Stephanie and Ryan ensured their older boys felt supported during this time.
Stephanie would begin each day by getting her older boys ready for summer camp before heading to the NICU until the evening, juggling feedings, pumping, and caring for her older children. In the evenings, babysitters would take over while Stephanie and Ryan visited the NICU until late at night, repeating this routine daily for three months without missing a day.
When the triplets finally came home—Mimi first, followed by Gigi and Max—Stephanie shared their journey on TikTok, which quickly gained almost 400,000 views. Encouraged by the response, she continued to share their parenting experiences, aiming to educate her followers about the accessible methods they incorporate into their daily lives.
Stephanie and Ryan have made various wheelchair-accessible adjustments in their home, such as replacing changing tables with desks that allow them to roll underneath, and converting cribs with French doors to make them more accessible. They also use tools like revolving car seats that make tasks easier for them. Stephanie expresses the wish for a triplet carrier, which is not currently available, but she remains hopeful for future innovations in accessibility. Ryan, though not active on social media, draws inspiration from Stephanie’s confidence and resilience in the face of negativity online. He believes in the power of pushing back against negativity and hopes to empower others to do the same. Sharing their journey has been a transformative experience for Stephanie, who finds joy in inspiring others and changing perceptions about parenting with a disability. They both strive to contribute to a more inclusive world and are grateful for the positive impact their story has on others.
“One evening, Max fell ill, and it was a challenging night for me,” she recalls. “I received a message from a stranger, a young individual I had never encountered before, who shared, ‘I’ve been following your TikTok, and I appreciate you. I have been struggling with low self-esteem and uncertainty about my future, and witnessing your work truly uplifts me.’ How can you not be uplifted by such words?” (Source: People)
