11 Moms Describe the Most Painfully Awkward Thing That Happened While Giving Birth

One minute, you're pregnant and have this whole awesome birth plan. The next, you're actually in labor, and you just have to accept that things are gonna play out a bit differently than you imagined. And something completely random could happen to make you cringe — hard. Here, moms describe their most painfully awkward labor and delivery moments.

1. "It was pushing time, and things were going slow. The one nurse said, 'We're going to bring the mirror over, it sometimes helps encourage moms to push.' So I'm thinking, 'OK, a mirror. How bad can that be?!' It ended up being this gigantic oval-shaped mirror about six feet tall. You never get that image back. Never. You think, I'll never be the same again. I was like, Oh my God ... oh my God. They made some comment like, 'Oh, look at all the hair,' and I'm like, 'I can't look! No more mirror.' ​I made them wheel it back and pushed out my baby girl on my own without the 'encouragement.'" —Jen, 33

2. "So, I know some couples are cool with going to the bathroom in front of one another, but that's never been me and my hubby. We always close the door to do our business, at home. However, when I was in labor and hooked up to saline, the nurse warned me I would have to pee ... a lot. I was hooked up to a ton on monitors and IVs, so dragging all of that equipment in and out of the bathroom was not ideal. So the nurse set up a bedpan on a chair next to my bed. At first, I asked my husband to leave the room each time I had to pee, but eventually I was going like every 15 minutes. It was 3 a.m., and I felt bad making him keep getting up. Eventually, every time I went to go in the bedpan, I would just tell my husband to close his eyes and plug his ears. I know this sounds ridiculous, but at the time it seemed like a last-ditch effort to keep some mystery and romance in my marriage!​" —Sarah, 36

3. "My daughter was 4 when my second baby was born, and my mom was tasked with taking care of her while I was in labor. Naturally, my daughter was upset and scared because her mom was in the hospital having a baby, so my mom had the bright idea of calling me repeatedly on my cell phone while I was in active labor to talk to her! When I finally stopped picking up, my mom actually showed up at the hospital, with my daughter. The nurse had to physically escort them out of the hospital, for which I will be forever grateful. When she came back, she was like, 'Well, they're gone. Your mother is crazy, and I'm sorry for you!'" —​Jacqueline, 39

4. "When I was being prepped me for my C-section, I was asked if some nursing students could watch. I said yes, and then they had them stand directly behind my naked back and rear end while I was getting the spinal block.​" —Amy, 34

5. "I went to the hospital around midnight, because my water broke, and I immediately started having intense contractions. When they got me into triage, I was still having gushes of fluid here and there, and the pad beneath me had to be replaced. We finally got into a labor and delivery room, and my husband walked out of the room for a brief moment. The nurse decided then to check my cervix to see if I had dilated any more, and as soon as I opened my legs, amniotic fluid sprayed her in the face! I had to have blood work done before I was discharged to make sure I didn't give her any diseases." —Stephanie, 27

6. "I was induced, and as the doctor was placing the foley catheter bulb, which is used to dilate the cervix, she asked, 'Did your membranes rupture? It's really wet down here.' My fiancé​ replied for me with, 'Oh, it's always like that.'" —Morgan, 27

7. "Up until the baby was born, I was at the center of a bustle of activity. As soon as the baby was out, I suddenly noticed that I was very much alone, lying there with everything just 'out there.' I looked over to see that all the labor and delivery nurses who'd been at my side 30 seconds previously were now all clustered around my husband. Apparently, he'd gotten lightheaded, and they had to administer smelling salts!​" —Carolyn, 33

8. "When my maternity roommate for the night had gotten settled in, she started chatting and asked me about my 'cute younger brother' who had held my baby earlier. I don't have a brother though. That was my husband who is definitely ​older​ than me. Made me feel like I looked even worse than I felt at that moment!​" —Lorraine, 39

9. "My husband was a physician at the hospital where I delivered,and he was also the medical students' favorite instructor. Like, they voted to give him awards. So, while I was in labor, a number of students just kept coming into the room — all to see my husband."—Alex, 32

10. "I decided on the name Clementine for my baby girl. While I was pushing, which was no easy task, my mom turned to me and said, 'You can't name her after a fruit!!!' I was no longer sorry she stayed awake all night with me in labor." —Susan, 32

11. ​"Luckily, he didn't mention it during, but the night after I gave birth, my partner told me he literally watched my hemorrhoids form while I was pushing. I told him to never, ever speak of it again." —​Rebecca, 29​

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