Having a baby is one of the most intense experiences imaginable. It can be difficult, emotional, painful, and full of immense joy. But we don't normally think of labor and delivery as laugh-out-loud funny.
These six women's tales put a whole new spin on childbirth, one that highlights the comedy in it all. Expectant moms will find themselves hoping for their own delivery bloopers when the time comes. Who wouldn't want to erupt in giggles during such high drama to break the tension? Why should giving birth be so serious? Why can't we just have a little fun with it?
It's true what they say, you know: Laughter really is the best medicine. So click through the slideshow below and be prepared to be majorly amused.
Do you have any funny labor and delivery stories to share?
Image via MammaLoves/Flickr
Stop Laughing Already!
I was given an epidural so the doctor could stop mid-delivery to check the baby's mouth (she'd had a bowel movement in the womb, which can be very dangerous). I was sitting there with only the baby's head out when hubby said something stupid. I started laughing and couldn't stop.
Finally my doctor told me to stop laughing because I was pushing the baby out and she wasn't ready to catch her yet. After we were all done, both the doctor and the nurse told us that they have never before uttered the words "stop laughing" during a delivery before. I was the highlight of their week.
The Wrong Hospital
Somehow I mistakenly drove to the wrong hospital. Mine actually has three different locations, so I thought I would deliver at the one closest to my doctor's office. NOPE. I had to then get back in the car and head to the one 40 minutes in the other direction. I loved the hospital I went to for the tour so much that I'd gone to that one by mistake — and even pre-registered there!
Tacos First, Baby Later
Before I gave birth, I was talking to my sister on the phone telling her how many contractions I was having. She's like, "Oh my God, you're in labor!" I was making tacos and she was screaming at me to call the hospital. I told her, "I'm not going anywhere until I'm done with my tacos." She's like, "How can you think about food when you're in labor?" Well, it was tacos.
Is That a Needle or a Sledgehammer?
My husband did great until doctors brought the hypodermic needle for the episiotomy. DH was standing by my waist and his eyes got HUGE. He stumbled and almost fainted, then grabbed the bed and pulled his wobbly self up. He panted in my face, "Oh my God, did you see the size of that needle?" Then he almost passed out again.
Coming Out Running
When I had my third C-section, I remember lying there terrified, and everyone in the room started laughing hysterically. I was so confused and kept asking, "What the hell is so FUNNY?" over and over. No one would answer me. The only response I kept getting was, "It's okay, it's okay" in between laughs. By the time they brought my son to me, they told me that he was breech. None of us had any idea! When they cut me open and pushed on the top of my belly to deliver the head, his legs popped out instead and waved so wildly in the air that they had a hard time catching them. So now it's our little joke that Gavin was born to hit the ground running.
What's 911's Phone Number?
One minute I'm asking for some Captain Crunch, the next I'm having a baby in the bathroom at 31 weeks. "Babe, I'm giving birth!" I yelled. So he comes upstairs and he saw her coming out. She's pink and screaming, so I calmly tell him to call 911. I see he's looking at his cell, confused. "Call 911," I repeated. Still confused. "Give me the phone!!" Then he asked what the number was. Are you kidding me? He dialed after one minute of confusion. The nurses at the hospital thought it was so funny that every time they saw him, they yelled, "9-1-1!"
