“The ultrasound had only picked up 1 fetus, 1 heartbeat. After baby #1, I felt another huge contraction. The nurse said, ‘It’s probably the placenta coming.’ I was in shock. The staff was shocked. The likelihood of a baby hiding in the womb is extremely minuscule.”

‘SURPRISE! You just had twins!’ The only words I could muster were, ‘Oh, f—!’: Mom gives birth to surprise twin, ‘It was just beautiful!’

‘You’ll sit with your midwife and calmly place your order. ‘A 2-hour water birth, please,’ you’ll say, smiling toward her. The big day arrives, they’ve messed your order up, bad.’: Mom laughs at the reality of motherhood
“You realize you can’t shove them back in your womb, And there are no refunds allowed, so you gotta face up to your doom. Mother to mother, if I had to say one thing, it would be ‘buckle-up tight and stock up on the gin.”

Mom Evicted At 40 Weeks Pregnant Goes Into Accidental Labor In New House With No Running Water
Nikki Schumacher was evicted when she was 40 weeks pregnant. She and her family had to scramble in order to move into their new place before the baby came. To make matters even more complicated, the couple forgot to have the water bill transferred over when Nikki went into labor at home.

‘WHAT IS THAT?’ Our baby girl had something interesting between her legs. ‘IS THIS A BOY?!’ My husband fell to the floor. ‘We have a SON!’: Parents are surprised after birth, ‘I couldn’t believe it!’
“‘Um, BABE…’ was all I could say. He texted me, ‘I just tested positive for the flu.’ I thought, ‘SERIOUSLY?! I’m 2 days overdue with baby #3 and sick as can be, and my husband has 2 strains of the flu?!’ GREAT. ‘This is it! We have to drive on black ice in a snowstorm to have this baby.’”

‘Mom, he’s our baby, he’s all of our baby!’ I came down with a stomach virus. ‘Have you taken a pregnancy test?’ I laughed. She knew our infertility journey.’: Woman’s surprise pregnancy after adopting 2 sons
“I immediately called Justin. ‘I think I may be pregnant!’ He asked, ‘Why on earth would you think that?’ I said, ‘I have a positive pregnancy test in my hand.’ He asked, ‘Well, how accurate are they?’ I thought, ‘I have no clue! I have never gotten a positive before.’”

‘Immediately, I knew there was something different. Her precious little body felt weak and floppy. Looking at her tiny face, I saw it.’: Blended family births 11th baby with Down syndrome
“When I found myself unexpectedly widowed at 39, I couldn’t have imagined what my life would look like 5 years later. We met on a dating site. Blending our families and accommodating the needs of 10 children was a complicated task. Then we heard, ‘I’m so sorry,’ which prompted more tears. It was my job as her mother to be strong and brave, but I doubted my ability to do so.”

‘Take your pants off.’ I took a deep breath and headed back. As I lay on the medical table, half naked, all I could hear was my heartbeat.’: LGBT couple embark on IUI journey, ‘our little one came into the world fast and furious’
“Around 11:30 a.m. I awoke with an immediate urge to poop. ‘Wait! I am 29 years old. I won’t poop my pants. That’s ridiculous.’ I started moaning. I could feel it in my bones — I knew I was close. And still no midwife. She asked me if I wanted to push. ‘YES!’ I cried out.”

Corgi ‘DOGGY DOULA’ sticks by mom’s side during her entire home water birth
“He would give her reassuring kisses to let her know she could do this. It was a beautiful thing to watch – the bond between mom and baby, and man’s best friend.”

‘When you have to pee and all of the sudden you’re holding your child.’
“The final push ended up happening on the toilet after my midwife suggested emptying my bladder, and while sitting there a contraction came, so I gave a push and out came his head!”

‘THIS is how birth is meant to be’: Mom experiences ‘intense’ backyard water birth
“I didn’t know how peaceful and beautiful birth was intended to be.”