He Couldn’t Reach His Baby Bump. Then Something Changed.

Last updated: October 12, 2026

Shane Burcaw, who lives with spinal muscular atrophy and uses a wheelchair, once worried he might never physically feel his child kick. His partner Hannah is able-bodied, and as her pregnancy progressed, Shane opened up about a fear he'd held privately: that his disability might limit his ability to connect physically with his future child. Then, weeks after sharing that worry publicly, a video captured the exact moment it was answered.

At a Glance

• Shane and Hannah Burcaw, known online as Squirmy and Grubs, announced pregnancy in September
• Shane had worried his wheelchair and limited arm reach might prevent feeling the baby kick
• A video from late September captured Shane reaching Hannah's bump and feeling movement
• The couple spent years trying to conceive through IVF

The Fear and the Moment

Shane had carried this particular worry for years before deciding to speak about it openly. "Will I be able to take part in the physical side of raising a child?" he asked in one post. He made clear that he didn't see parenting as purely a physical act, yet still found himself anxious about what his condition would mean when he became a father.

When Hannah's pregnancy reached the point where kicks became visible, Shane's concern turned real. "I wasn't sure my arms would stretch far enough," he explained. He had hoped to feel the movement but couldn't be certain it would work. The video uploaded to their YouTube channel in late September showed the result. Shane managed to reach Hannah's belly and felt the baby shift. "This is absolutely wild," he said in the footage, describing the sensation of movement inside.

Planning for Parenting

The couple has spent time working out practical arrangements. They've talked through options like positioning pillows so their baby could rest safely on Shane's lap, securing a carrier to his wheelchair, and using a stroller he could push. Shane also reached out to another dad with the same condition, who had once worried about lifting his child but eventually discovered his own methods for physical bonding. As the child grew, he learned to climb into his father's wheelchair for hugs and to help with small tasks like putting on hats.

Shane has spoken about what he thinks matters most. "Physical care matters early on, absolutely," he told People. "But so much of raising a kid involves the mind, emotions, learning, and love." He added that his disability would not stop him from doing any of those things.

Our Analysis

The emotional hook here is tight and specific: a man worried about missing something fundamental, then experiencing it. That arc works whether viewers care about disability issues or not.

The story also sidesteps a common pitfall in content about interabled couples. Rather than centering on relationship drama or public criticism, it focuses on a universal parenting moment filtered through a specific circumstance. Most viewers probably never wondered whether a wheelchair user could feel a baby kick. After watching, they know the answer—and they feel something about it.

What remains unclear is how the couple will handle the inevitable online scrutiny once the baby arrives. They've already said they'll be careful about what they share. That's smart given what they've faced before, but it also means the narrative around their parenting will likely stay partially private. Whether that changes as their child grows remains to be seen.

Key takeaways

• Physical connection in parenting takes many forms beyond the expected ones
• Couples navigating disability face specific fears that deserve attention
• Sharing vulnerable moments helps others facing similar situations
• Love and parenting aren't limited by physical ability