About the Series
We created this stage-based development series with activities to pair with our suite of HealthyBaby essentials for those prime moments of connection in your daily routine. By taking advantage of the science, you will be empowered at every stage to shape your child's development. To make it easy, we’ll send you personalized, age-based emails to coincide with your monthly Healthybaby diaper subscription box—so you can navigate development at your own pace.
Our 5 Foundational Concepts
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Environment + experiences shape baby’s brain.
We can’t control the genes that we inherit, but we can, to a certain degree, control the environment and experiences we have. Epigenetics is the study of how our behavior and environment change the expression of our DNA. We now know that the answer to the ‘nature vs. nurture’ debate is actually both. We are truly intertwined with our environments. By taking the steps to ensure a secure, clean, and enriching environment, we can mitigate vulnerabilities and shape outcomes.
Our brains can change!
Neuro = brain. Plastic = changeable. Our brains are malleable and shaped continuously by our experiences, and this is true for both babies and adults. Our brains are like muscles; the more we use them, the stronger they become. And how we choose to use them determines the ways they wire together.
Months 0-36 are the biggest window of opportunity for brain development.
The window of neuroplasticity is the widest and most flexible between the ages of 0 to 3, but the window never truly closes. The brain is always neuro-flexible, and during this supercharged special window of baby’s growth, there are so many opportunities to optimize cognitive and emotional growth. Remember that raising a baby is such a forgiving process, and you don’t have to get it right from the first time, or the second, or the third - you’ll get countless opportunities along the journey.
Every thought, emotion, and action we repeat deepens neural pathways.
Baby’s brain is a network of pathways made up of neurons. When thoughts, emotions, and actions are experienced, your baby’s brain fires a neural pathway. As experiences are repeated, their brains make that pathway deeper and stronger. Neuroscientists like to say, “What fires together, wires together.”
And if you haven’t already, you may begin to notice that babies love to repeat things. This is because their brains want to create long, efficient pathways. Exciting research also shows us that babies actually learn more effectively when something is repeated.
Brains grow in the safety of routine.
Because the developing brain craves repetition and predictability, your day-to-day routine is the best framework for engaging in brain-building connected moments because this is the time that their nervous system is most calm and they are open to novel experiences. In a baby's early days, creating a predictable routine means responding to their needs in a loving and timely manner. As your baby grows, predictability and routine can also be built with an understanding of their temperament and your parenting style.
Dr. Stephen Cowan
Dr. Cowan is a pediatrician with over 35 years of clinical experience working with children, starting with babies in the NICU to then practice the now sought-after specialty in Developmental Pediatrics. He is a fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics, serving as a member of the section on Development. Dr. Cowan has treated founder Shazi Visram’s son Zane and thousands of other children whose development has been atypical. As a result, he's become a guide for hundreds of parents who reach out to him proactively to ensure their babies' development trajectory is going in the right direction. He's been there for Shazi for 10 years and has been instrumental in the healthy development of thousands of children.
Developmental Milestones
The Wow
Provides a glimpse into key concepts around baby’s development, milestones, and transitions based on their age, giving you the context you need to understand your child’s growth and connection.
Interactive Video Lessons
The How
Interactive exercises built into everyday routines. They are meant to be simple, novel, and stimulating in a "just right” kind of way when your baby feels safe and secure. Feeling safe helps baby’s brain create deeper neural connections while they are connected with you. This is a proactive way to approach development, encouraging you and baby to connect in a meaningful way that builds critical skills and a sense of self-confidence that can last a lifetime. Each activity is also paired with a “Why?” to explain the concept and how awesome this time in diapers really is!
Caregiver Tips & Topics
Support for You
Specific caregiver topics that relate to experiences you are having at that point in baby’s development. Encourages you to map your own journey and seek help with our dedicated 1:1 parenting support as needed.
Sneak Peaks
The Wow Ahead
Provides a glimpse into the next developmental stage/transition in your baby’s flow.
Our Founder's Story
“After my first child was diagnosed with a developmental disorder, I became obsessed with doing everything I could to help him - biomedically, therapeutically, and environmentally. Through the process, I’ve become aware of key developmental insights that I don’t think I would have been exposed to otherwise. On top of that, I wanted to do everything I could to ensure the neurological health of my next child. Because we had sought out the best therapies and doctors, we had special access to what could promote optimal health and development. This experience has been life-changing, and everything I’ve learned from pregnancy through the early years really makes all the difference, and my daughter is living proof as a connected, clever 7-year-old that's benefited from this knowledge. In today's world, every parent should have access to developmental guidance proactively.”
