Our new series, Tiny Birth Stories, is aimed at sharing real-life stories from our readers to our readers. In just 100 words or less, we’re bringing you the raw, the funny and the heartwarming stories you’ve lived while bringing babies into the world. Here are five stories that will have you laughing, crying and nodding your head in solidarity.
Interested in telling your birth story? Click here.
My daughter is with the band by Roxanne
I was about to go on stage at a dive bar at a friend’s concert, to receive a thank-you gift for supporting them, when my water broke dramatically. I climbed the stairs to the stage and informed my friend quietly. He then shouted in shock into the microphone, “Holy ****, your water just broke!” I greeted the crowd, and announced that I was on my way to the hospital. My daughter was born three hours later, five days before her due date. The band visited us in the maternity ward the next day, and my daughter was featured on their next album cover.
The surprise of twins by Melissa S.
The ultrasound tech says, “oh, I see the problem!” As I try not to panic, she then says, “It’s twins!” So. Many. Emotions. But wait, I’m an identical twin! Twins don’t have twins, it’s supposed to skip a generation. It didn’t and what was supposed to be a birth center birth, became a home birth. Fast forward to 38 weeks plus 3 days at 1:05 am and 1:26 am we welcomed Natalie and Lacey into our newly purchased and renovated home. When they joined our family, we went from 2 little girls to 4. Twins are considered high risk and because of our birth center’s state certification, they couldn’t continue my care. After 3 Doctors told me I couldn’t deliver them naturally, we found a midwife that had actually birthed her own twins at home! Definitely double delight!
My experience giving birth during COVID-19 by Lauren F.
When my sister-in-law gave birth early in the pandemic, April 2020, I felt sorry for her but thought surely by the time I had my baby that summer things would be normal. I went to doctor’s appointments by myself; my husband wasn’t allowed. I always stood in the waiting room—afraid of seats other patients used—and stripped my clothes and showered once home. When I packed my hospital bag, I threw in a coveted canister of Clorox wipes, snacks so my husband wouldn’t have to leave the room, and of course hand sanitizer. My two older children would have to wait to meet their sibling; no visitors were allowed in the hospital. People asked if it was difficult to labor while wearing a mask. Truthfully, I was so consumed with the wellbeing of my baby, whose heart rate dropped to 50 beats per minute at one point during labor, that I didn’t notice the fabric on my face. I don’t think that makes me a super mom; I think that just makes me a mom.
My water broke like a water gun by Hannah
I had gone over my due date by eight days and was so done. Labored fifteen hours at home, two in the hospital and an hour of pushing with zero medical intervention. One push and my water broke and squirted across the room like a water gun and hit the midwife in the chest. “Wow! I haven’t seen a water break like that in years” the midwife exclaimed. Everyone hadn’t seen a baby with that much hair before. Grandma is a nurse on that floor and says he is still talked about to this day.
My placenta wouldn’t let me go by Kim
My Little Dude was diagnosed with a major heart defect during a regular ultrasound. I was assured that I could safely deliver naturally, but Little Dude would need surgery sometime after he was born. Well, Little Dude refused to come on time, so I was induced. Things went well, and Little Dude was born after 24 hours with less than two hours of pushing. The hard part turned out to be the placenta! It refused to detach! My Little Dude was taken for an echocardiogram while I was wheeled into a surgery room to remove the placenta. ☹
