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Ex-military mom creates app to help save mothers
Pregnancy is often billed as one of the most precious and rewarding chapters of a person's life, but the reality of the postpartum experience can be overwhelming, lonely, and physically exhausting. FOX 13's Sabirah Rayford sits down with Stephiney Foley, founder and chief mom at Yuzi Care, a groundbreaking platform providing parents with clinical and emotional support during their "fourth trimester."
SEATTLE - Stephiney Foley is a combat veteran, a West Point graduate, and an immigrant who grew up with "street smarts" in New York City.
She was trained to be resilient in the face of any battlefield, yet nothing prepared her for the "fourth trimester" of pregnancy.
"I have all the markers of being a tough individual," Foley told FOX 13 Seattle. "And nothing was harder than postpartum."
Stephiney Foley and her children
After the birth of her second child, Foley experienced a harrowing moment while driving between Seattle and Tacoma. Her babies were crying, she was crying, and she found herself wondering if she should "just end it all right here."
That wake-up call eventually led her to found Yuzi Care, a groundbreaking platform designed to provide parents with the clinical and emotional support they often lose after leaving the hospital.
The ‘invisible’ phase of motherhood
According to the CDC, one in eight women report postpartum depression, and more than half of those individuals never receive treatment.
Foley noted that while pregnant people are often held on a "pedestal," that support vanishes the moment the baby arrives.
"After you give birth, you’re invisible because all the attention gets redirected," Foley explained. "Moms included— we redirect our care and attention to the baby rather than ourselves."
Stephiney Foley
Foley emphasized that the postpartum period is the most significant hormonal shift a human can experience —surpassing menopause — yet society expects parents to operate "business as usual."
Bridging the gap
To address this systemic "drop of the ball," Foley created Yuzi Care to serve as a bridge. The platform allows parents to:
- Find perinatal care providers who specialize in the "fourth trimester."
- Book, manage, and pay for services in one transparent location.
- Connect with experts who understand the intersection of physical recovery and mental health.
The platform's philosophy is simple: Self-care is baby care. By making these resources accessible, Foley hopes to prevent other parents from reaching the breaking point she experienced on that Friday night drive.
National recognition for a growing mission
The impact of Foley’s work is already gaining national attention.
Yuzi Care was recently named a winner of the 2026 South by Southwest (SXSW) pitch event in Austin, a coveted recognition chosen from thousands of applicants worldwide.
For Foley, the mission is deeply personal. "Coming from a lived experience of surviving postpartum...making [care] accessible to everyone, regardless of your color, gender, zip code, or socioeconomic background is my mission," she said.
Editor’s note: If you or someone you know is struggling with postpartum depression or thoughts of self-harm, help is available. You can call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 anytime in the US and Canada.
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For the Girls: Women on the Rise (Episode 4)
Your path is layered with purpose! FOX 13 Seattle anchor Sabirah Rayford is back with a new edition of her Emmy-nominated series "For The Girls: Women on the Rise." In this fourth edition you'll meet a world-renowned conductor, who is one of only two women at the top of her field. Then, Rayford goes one-on-one with Phoebe Gates and other female tech leaders disrupting the status quo. Plus, an Army veteran shares her path from the front lines of service to the front lines of motherhood, and her mission to save lives off the battlefield.
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The Source: Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.