Castrodad Family

Trusting instincts: How one mom’s advocacy saved her baby and inspired others

Isamari Castrodad, a dedicated journalist, understands the power of trusting her instinct and advocating for herself—which was crucial during her pregnancy. "When I was pregnant, I knew something was wrong, and I decided to advocate for myself," she recalls. “And that experience I think helped save my baby.”

At 34 weeks pregnant, Isamari almost missed a prenatal care appointment. “It's like an instinct told me, ‘Don’t do that,’" she remembers. That decision proved life changing. As it turned out, her amniotic fluid (the liquid that surrounds and protects an unborn baby throughout pregnancy) was low. So, she turned to the March of Dimes website to educate herself and found information that let her confidently talk to her doctor about her pregnancy and the tests she might need.

At her next appointment, Isamari was anxious about her fluid levels and insisted on being re-checked, despite the doctor telling her everything was fine. As it turned out, everything wasn’t fine; her fluid was dangerously low again. She was hospitalized, and Ismael was born 48 hours later by emergency Cesarean birth, five weeks too soon.

Six days after Ismael was discharged, he developed jaundice, respiratory syncytial virus (a lung infection), and pneumonia and was re-hospitalized. “When you see your baby just born having problems and fighting for his life, it's really hard, and takes part of the happiness out of the process,” Isamari says—but despite the setbacks, their journey forward brought immense joy. "When he finally got out of the hospital, it was like, we're starting again, and it was really good to have him at home.”

After that, Isamari made it her mission to learn all she could about preterm birth, becoming deeply involved with March of Dimes and serving as a board member and March for Babies Chair. She speaks out about how important it is for women to educate and advocate for themselves before, during, and after pregnancy—and Ismael has been right beside her. Their connection to March of Dimes soared to new heights in 2016 when they were chosen as the Ambassador Family, the first family from Puerto Rico, and the program became bilingual for the first time. They spent the year on a cross-country tour, which included a stop at the White House, sharing their story, and educating others.

They also take part in March for Change, where volunteers and advocates come together once a year in Washington, DC and state capitals across the country. "March for Change is crucial," Isamari emphasizes. "It's a day when we go to lawmakers, educate them, and push for policies that improve the health of moms and babies." Their efforts have made a tangible impact, shaping policies and providing hope to families facing similar challenges.

Today, Ismael is a junior at George Washington University where he’s studying political science—a decision influenced by his meeting as March of Dimes Ambassador with President Barack Obama in 2016. “The whole process requires a lot of strength, and he’s definitely a fighter,” Isamari says. “I've been proud of him since day one. He's fighting for his life and he's doing great.”

As Isamari continues to inspire through her work and advocacy, she brings hope and real change to families across Puerto Rico and beyond. Reflecting on her experience, she emphasizes, "It's very important to advocate for yourself because nobody knows your body better than you.”