How Hoag Maternal Mental Health supported one family through heartbreak and joy

It’s a date on the calendar. And it’s wonderful. And it’s horrible. Traumatizing and empowering. It’s a date that the Woods’ life turned upside down. And a date when everything came into focus.

The Woods welcomed three boys into their family. Their first son Caleb was born during the height of the COVID pandemic in June 2020, joining a world so unsettled that when his mom Corinne cried at the thought of going to the grocery store, she had no one to help her gauge whether that was normal or not.

Henry was born into a different world in March of 2024. Corinne had access to care, guidance, and information. She was referred by her midwife to the Hoag Maternal Mental Health program and received necessary postpartum support.

But then a date showed up on the calendar. December 4, the day in 2024 that Henry died suddenly during his afternoon nap at daycare. There was an autopsy, but no cause of death could be determined.

Grief is immeasurable. It refuses to take shape or obey the laws of time. But it can haunt a date. And so, when on December 4, 2025, Corinne and Adam Wood’s third son Shiloh was born, the date became imbued with everything that was wonderful and terrible—not just about their personal experiences, but about parenthood, marriage and the way our world is set up to receive and care for us.

“My third son was born on the anniversary of Henry passing into heaven, which is so wild, unexpected, and really a gift,” Corinne says. “Also, it kind of messes with your mind a little bit. And so, I have continued to work with Hoag through postpartum with this third baby. Their support has really helped me enjoy this pregnancy and this postpartum time more than I could have imagined.”

That support helped her navigate through the hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy and after birth—as well as the post-traumatic stress of losing a baby, and the realities of a society that is not designed with working families in mind.

Hoag’s Maternal Mental Health Program is offered as part of Hoag’s comprehensive maternal child services. The program provides personalized and expert care for women before, during and after pregnancy to ensure healthy outcomes for both mothers and babies.

Corinne's care team includes therapist Nicole Young, LCSW, and Dr. Mercedes Szpunar, the Tsao Family Endowed Chair and Medical Director of the Hoag Maternal Mental Health program. Taking a holistic approach to maternal care, Dr. Szpunar’s team helped Corinne's sister secure family leave from her job in Northern California so she could be present after Henry's death. She has also advocated for Corinne's mental health disability leave following Shiloh's birth.

“I’m very grateful for a doctor who can support me through the PTSD and the grief I continue to process,” Corinne said. “Grief isn’t linear—and certain dates, certain holidays, certain things are very triggering.”

Infant childcare remains one of those triggers. Corinne does not yet leave Shiloh with anyone besides her husband or another trusted family member. But she has returned to exercise through online fitness classes, and the cognitive behavioral therapy she's received through Hoag has helped her build healthy habits and move through periods of anxiety, depression, and distress.

“My anxiety is there, but it's managed with medication and practices like checking in with myself,” she said. “Nicole Young has given me a lot of coping tools, and I'm deeply grateful for them.”

Corinne felt compelled to share her story because she knows too many women suffer in silence—unable to name what they feel after giving birth, let alone after losing a child. Through Hoag's program, she has learned to face the layered emotions of December 4—and every day—with courage and resilience.

“I would tell other women to just be as honest as possible—with themselves and with others,” she said. “Be willing to share the parts that might feel a little embarrassing. Perfection is impossible, and it's only when we admit we're not perfect that other people can come alongside us. They can't help us if we don't ask.”

Learn more about Hoag’s comprehensive maternal child services.