Disabled parents raising triplets: Even before Stephanie Woodward and her husband, Ryan, tied the knot, they both knew children were in their future. Stephanie envisioned a large family with five or more kids, while Ryan leaned toward something smaller. Ultimately, Stephanie’s dream came true—just not in the way either of them expected.
Stephanie, 36, and Ryan, 35, both grew up as wheelchair users in Rochester, N.Y., but didn’t meet until later in life when Ryan applied for a role at Stephanie’s workplace. Ironically, Stephanie had discouraged the CEO from hiring him.
“I didn’t think he was the right fit,” she remembers. “His résumé had a photo—which seemed odd to me—and when I saw he was a Paralympian, I thought, ‘We don’t need that energy. We’re focused people.’”
Laughing, she adds, “I told them not to hire him … and they hired him anyway.”
Despite that start, by December 2017, they were dating. Fast forward to 2020—they were married, had purchased land, and began building their home. Within six months of marriage, they launched into both adoption certification and fertility treatments.
Both paths were incredibly tough. As wheelchair users, they faced pushback from caseworkers who doubted their ability to parent—ironically, even though they were open to adopting children with disabilities. At the same time, natural conception wasn’t working, with no clear medical explanation. IVF became their next hope.
Disabled parents raising triplets: IVF proved emotionally and physically grueling. Their first embryo transfer failed. The second brought joy and heartbreak when their daughter was stillborn. The third resulted in an early miscarriage, followed by a fourth that ended the same way. By the fifth transfer, their clinic remained supportive, but began managing expectations. Stephanie shared the ups and downs publicly on social media for friends and family to follow.
“I stopped taking the cute pictures at the clinic,” she says. “I was just going through the motions—I had no hope left. I had even scheduled exploratory surgery for February, thinking, ‘We’ll try once more, then move on.'”
Just as hope faded, foster care opened a new chapter. In January 2024, they were placed with a six-year-old boy and later welcomed his younger brother too. Life was finally settling into a new rhythm—until they got stunning news: Stephanie was pregnant. Not with one baby, but with three.
“We only transferred two embryos, but three came out!” Stephanie laughs. “It was a huge surprise.”
Disabled parents raising triplets: Still cautious due to past losses, they kept the news quiet at first. Their foster sons eventually guessed Stephanie was pregnant, prompting the couple to reveal the big news to their family and followers on TikTok, where their community had grown to over 61,000 strong.
Disabled parents raising triplets embrace unique parenting
Disabled parents raising triplets: Stephanie continued to document her pregnancy online—belly updates, gender reveals, and educational posts about what parenting looks like from a wheelchair. She wanted to shift outdated beliefs.
“Some people commented things like, ‘Who’s going to care for these babies?’” she recalls. “They assumed I’d just sit and watch. By sharing our story, I hope people begin to shed those stereotypes and understand that disabled people can be amazing parents.”
At 28 weeks, in July 2024, Stephanie went into preterm labor. She had an emergency C-section, and the triplets—Mimi, Gigi, and Max—spent nearly three months in the NICU. Throughout this time, Stephanie and Ryan maintained a demanding routine that kept them present for all five children.
Stephanie woke up early every day, helped the older boys get ready for camp, spent full days at the NICU, returned home to cook dinner, and tucked the boys into bed. Then, she and Ryan would head back to the hospital until after midnight.
“We didn’t miss a single day,” she says. “We wanted all five of our kids to feel our love and presence. We didn’t want to miss a moment of their lives.”
Disabled parents raising triplets: Eventually, the babies came home one by one—Mimi first, then Gigi, and finally Max. Their homecoming video went viral, racking up nearly 400,000 views. From that point, Stephanie knew their story had a bigger purpose.
She began focusing on accessibility in parenting—showcasing cribs modified with French doors, rolling under desks for changing tables, and revolving car seats that made loading the babies into the car easier.
“We’ve done a lot to make things accessible,” Stephanie says. “I haven’t found a thing we can’t do yet. Although I do wish someone would invent a triplet carrier—and maybe a wheelchair-accessible school bus for five kids!”
Though Ryan tends to avoid social media, he admires how Stephanie uses it to combat negativity and empower others.
“There are people out there who’ve never seen disabled parents raising triplets,” he says. “Seeing us proves it’s possible. Responding to critics isn’t just clapping back—it’s helping others believe in themselves.”
Stephanie agrees. “Getting messages like, ‘I have a disability and your videos give me hope,’ means everything. I didn’t have someone like that growing up, so if we can change minds or offer inspiration, it’s all worth it.”
Disabled parents raising triplets: She recalls one message during a tough night with Max being sick. “Someone wrote, ‘I’ve been stalking your TikTok. Thank you for showing me that the future can be bright.’ That’s what keeps us going.”
Table of Contents
Source: www.people.com
