As of last year, over two million college-age women became pregnant.
In the same year, one out of every 10 women who dropped out of college did so because of unintended pregnancies.
How can a community help young women who are scared and confused after a life-altering event?
The Auburn community answered with Baby Steps, an organization dedicated to showing women they don’t have to choose between an education and their child.
The idea for Baby Steps was originally formed by Michelle and Matt Schultz in 2013, but the inspiration for it came nearly 30 years ago. While in college, the couple had an unexpected pregnancy, and feeling like she had no other option, Michelle chose to terminate it.
After dealing with the gravity and remorse following the decision, Michelle realized she could use her story to help other women understand the depth of a decision like hers.
Nineteen years ago, the couple started guiding other girls in high school and college who had similar experiences, letting them know that there is healing to be had.
In 2013, Michelle and Matt met Kaitlyn Willing, a woman who embodied everything the couple would one day want their organization to serve. Willing had become pregnant as a junior in college, and when she decided to keep the baby and stay in school, she found herself with a lack of a support network. Despite the difficulty from the outset, she still went through with the pregnancy and had her child.
Willing said that although she made it through, she wished there would have been a resource to help her along in her journey.
Willing’s story was inspirational to Michelle and Matt, and it validated their decision to move forward with the large task — turning their dream into a reality.
About six years ago, the couple began seriously laying the groundwork for Baby Steps. They applied for non-profit status and began fundraising for a house, all while raising six kids of their own.
As the years went on, Michelle started building a team around her to help work toward her goal. One of those people was Auburn alumna Sarah Hirschfeldt.
Hirschfeldt was living in Kentucky when she received the offer to come back to Auburn to join the Baby Steps team. Though it was not what she envisioned doing with her life, Hirschfeldt moved back to Auburn and jumped into her role, never regretting the decision.
“Michelle reached out to me, and she was reaching out to other women as well to see if they would come and consider being live-in supports, which is my role,” Hirschfeldt said. “At first, I said I had other plans. I was going to move to eastern Kentucky, and my life would have looked very different. That door eventually shut very clearly and Baby Step’s opened very wide.”
Some of the other women who work for the organization include Darby Wilson, a full-time student and part-time live-in who focuses on integrating Baby Steps into campus; Charlton, an auction intern who organizes the organization’s big auction in the spring and Natalie, a communications intern who does graphics and works on the organization’s blog.
Having the other women on the team freed Hirschfeldt up to focus on other aspects of Baby Steps. Though there are no girls currently living in the house, one of the main functions of the organization is hosting a weekly family dinner.
People from around Auburn bring food to the house, and any girl going through a pregnancy is invited.
One of Baby Steps’ biggest goals is to show women they aren’t the only ones going through trying times.
“We have this blog, and the whole idea is to have these personal stories, so that we can bring to light the reality and so the girls who are facing it don’t feel alone,” Hirschfeldt said. “It’s all about stories. They’re what reach people.”
Just how widespread college pregnancies are can sometimes be hidden. In a public speaking class, Wilson began her informative speech by posing the question, “How many of you have seen a pregnant student on campus?” Hirschfeldt, relaying the story, said maybe one person raised their hand.
The concept that not a lot of people know about undergraduate pregnancies is reflected through the organizations on campus. For example, childcare for graduate students is available but not for undergraduates.
When asked why this was, it was apparent that the need was not made known to the general population. The people at Baby Steps are hoping to make the broad reality of this situation more well known.
Hirschfeldt emphasized throughout her story that Baby Steps does not exist to treat women as if they are incapable of doing this on their own.
Rather, it strives to provide women going through unexpected pregnancies a chance to live their lives to the fullest.
“We want to communicate to people that you’re not a charity case,” Hirschfeldt said. “You are so brave for even making the decision to stay in school and go through with your pregnancy. We just want to give you support, because why would you go through life surviving when you could thrive?”
The Baby Steps home was set up with the idea of letting women thrive in mind. During the day, while the women are at school, free childcare is provided.
The house was built within walking distance of campus, and free food is provided to the women and children. Baby Steps even goes as far as seeking out tutoring if needed and helps find financial aid for tuition coverage.
Though the off-campus home is a big part of the organization, Wilson has done a lot of work on campus as well.
“Really our purpose for being on campus is to tell people that we’re here,” Wilson said. “Right now, since nobody is living in the house, we’d really like to make sure that there’s no one on campus that hasn’t heard of Baby Steps.”
On campus, the team does a number of little things, such as hanging flyers on doors and working the concourse. They are pursuing any opportunity to spread their message.
Charlton, the auction intern at Baby Steps, has a personal story with Baby Steps because she happened to meet Sarah by chance and needed an internship.
She became pregnant in her junior year of college and was due around the time of exams.
When looking for resources to help with the conflict, she was bounced around from the Office of Accessibility to the dean of her college and then back to accessibility. Eventually she was brought to the Title IX Office, which deals with these specific issues.
“It’s one of those things, it’s like out of sight, out of mind. So, nobody really understands it’s an issue until it happens to them,” Charlton said.
Charlton said when she met Sarah, she immediately felt support and empowerment. Even though she was pregnant during her internship, Sarah never treated her any differently than anyone else.
“I can validate everything that has happened here, from not only an intern perspective and someone within the organization but also as a recipient,” Charlton said.
In the end, Baby Steps has always pushed the same message — bring all types of women together in an environment where they will be known and loved.
Baby Steps wants women to know they have a third option after education or motherhood, which is both. They believe all women can thrive in this world.
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