Nitaya
Los Angeles
Nitaya’s Story:
In 2008, after a difficult pregnancy and labor, I gave birth to my daughter by C-section. I remained in the hospital for five days, yet the moment I was discharged, survival took priority over recovery. I drove myself to buy diapers, wipes, and formula while still leaking fluid from surgery because there was no one else to do it. Just two months later, I was hospitalized with severe pneumonia. My lungs filled with infection, and doctors drained bags of fluid from my body through a needle in my back. As I struggled to breathe, my only thought was getting home to my baby.
The depression that followed stayed with me for years. I felt pressured to work, pay bills, and care for everyone else while ignoring my own health. When my son was born years later, new challenges emerged. He was eventually diagnosed with autism after significant developmental delays, and I found myself fighting for services that were often unavailable or denied. Today, I continue raising both children as a single mother, working long hours while advocating for my son and supporting my daughter. My story reflects how mothers are often expected to recover, provide, and persevere without the support they need. Maternal well-being is not a luxury, it is essential for families and communities to thrive.
