Shane and Hannah Burcaw are mapping out how to shield their baby from online hostility before the child even arrives.
The interabled couple, known to millions as Squirmy and Grubs, said that guarding their unborn child’s privacy has become their foremost concern after years of fielding cruel comments themselves. Hannah, who is able-bodied, said their “priority is just to protect the privacy of our baby,” noting that “social media is not always great.”
“And we definitely don’t want to subject a child to the kinds of comments that we get.”
Shane, 34, who lives with spinal muscular atrophy and uses a wheelchair, expanded on that stance in the same interview. “We felt like, we are bringing another human into the world; they can’t speak for their privacy right now, and so that as parents is our responsibility,” he added. The father-to-be emphasized that they’re “sharing this with the world carefully” and “being deliberate and intentional to make sure that what they share aligns with their values.”
The couple’s protective posture stems from direct experience with targeted harassment. In a YouTube video posted before the interview, Shane predicted the reception their pregnancy news would receive online. “There are going to be a number of people, a big number of people, who are not happy about this pregnancy announcement, and that’s another reason we haven’t wanted to share with the world,” he said. He anticipated “horrible people in the comments and in the message board telling him that he should not be a father due to his disability.”
That dread kept the couple silent through the first half of Hannah’s pregnancy. They revealed the news on September 8 through an Instagram post, disclosing that Hannah was already 20 weeks along and due in January. “We are beyond ecstatic to announce that we’re expecting our first child this coming January!” they wrote jointly. “Hannah is 20 weeks pregnant and although we’ve been thoroughly enjoying this special time in privacy so far, we’ve also missed sharing all the joy with you, and there’s so much to share.”
Beyond external hostility, Shane has wrestled with internal questions about his physical capacity as a parent. In a Facebook post, he wondered whether he’d be able to reach his arms out “far enough to feel the kicking.” He elaborated: “I know and believe that parenting and love do not require physical ability, but I still grapple with those deep down anxieties at times, especially as our baby began kicking in Hannah’s womb a few weeks ago.”
Despite these layered worries, both parents express eagerness about the road ahead. “We know what we’ve signed up for, and we’re excited to share our parenting journey, and how we make it work,” Hannah said.
The Burcaws have built a substantial following across platforms by documenting their daily life together, with Shane’s condition and their relationship dynamics drawing both supportive audiences and persistent detractors. Their September announcement marked a calculated departure from their usual openness, a choice they explained was driven by the need to establish boundaries before their child becomes part of the content they create.