When I looked at Cohen that first night at home, all I could think was: Every baby deserves the chance to thrive. What if I can’t give him that?
The house was quiet, but my mind was loud. At the hospital, I had nurses and helpers. At home, it was just me, Cohen’s dad, and this tiny human who was jaundiced, tired, and struggling to eat.
Part of that fear came from my own childhood. I lost my dad at ten, my stepmom at 17, and later, my biological mom too. I knew what it was like to grow up without steady, constant support.
“I loved him from the moment I saw those two lines on the pregnancy test, but love didn’t feel like enough. Fear was louder.“
– Shania, Cohen’s mom
From Panic to Partnership: Meeting Danielle
I didn’t know it yet, but help was already on its way through a woman named Danielle and a ZERO TO THREE program called HealthySteps. This would change everything about how I saw myself as a mom.
I first met Danielle, the HealthySteps Specialist at our pediatrician’s office, when Cohen was just four days old. Those early days are a blur, but she stands out clearly. She was the first face I remember in the exam room, calm and steady when I felt like I was falling apart inside. She introduced herself as part of the HealthySteps program and said that she was available as part of the pediatric primary care team at the practice to help check on Cohen’s development, answer parenting questions, and connect us with resources if needed.
Transforming the Promise of Pediatric Primary Care
HealthySteps provides early childhood development and behavioral health support to families where they are most likely to access it – the pediatric primary care office.
Cohen struggled to eat, and Danielle walked me through new holds, new techniques, and new ways to help him latch. At one visit, she showed me a different hold that instantly made feeding easier. I cried right there in the exam room, because something impossible suddenly felt possible.
“I worried a lot.
Wondering, is this something that he should be doing?”
– Shania, Cohen’s mom
“I think it’s just really listening and meeting a family where they are in that moment, just acknowledging that parenting is really hard sometimes.“
– Danielle, HealthySteps Specialist
Danielle was there with us through everything: slow weight gain, daycare sicknesses, missed milestones, all the little worries that sent my anxiety spiraling as a new mom. When Cohen wasn’t walking independently yet, she didn’t panic. She just said, “He has time. This is normal.” And I repeated that to myself every day.
“With HealthySteps, we create a judgment-free zone. You have an outlet right there in the doctor’s office while you’re going through it, to talk to someone who understands.“
– Danielle, HealthySteps Specialist
“It’s hard as a mom to reassure yourself. It’s very hard. And it is such a relief, such a comfort, to hear from an actual expert. She believed in Cohen. She believed in me. And that belief showed up as real support.”
– Shania, Cohen’s mom
Working in daycare for 13 years, I’ve seen a lot of children grow up. But raising your own baby is different. It’s one thing to care for kids during the day; it’s another thing to wake up at 2 AM, wondering if your baby’s cough is “normal” or something more. Or to compare your child to others, if you see them starting to walk or talk earlier.
What It Means to Truly Believe in Babies
Cohen has taught me more about myself than I ever expected. He’s quirky, playful, and his cheeky scrunched-up smile can pull me out of any bad mood. Watching his personality go from nothing to something has been the most incredible journey.
I want him to remember playing on the floor with Dean and me, building towers, turning pages in books, pointing to animals, and learning words. I want him to know that no matter what, he can come to us and we will show up.
Danielle didn’t just focus on Cohen’s charts and milestones. She focused on me—my worry, my questions, my need for reassurance. She turned the doctor’s office into a place where I could say, “I’m scared,” and not feel judged. She gave me simple phrases I still carry with me, little truths I repeat when the comparison game starts in my head.
Her steady belief helped me be present, not panicked; connected, not consumed by fear. I want all moms to have the support that Cohen and I received through HealthySteps. That’s what believing in babies looks like in real life.
“Babies don’t exist in a vacuum. Building mom’s confidence and supporting their mental health is probably the single most important thing we can do for babies.” – Danielle
