“Oh… I think my water just broke!” Mommy gasps, her voice high with disbelief and a strange kind of joy, as if even she can't quite believe it.
Daddy freezes mid-step, staring at her like she has just announced the house was on fire. “What? Are you serious?”
“Yes!” Mommy hisses, clutching her belly. “We need to go.”
Daddy freezes again, his eyes bulging. “Wait—you mean yes as in the water broke?”
Mommy shoots him a glare sharp enough to peel the paint off the car. “Let’s go.”
“Right. Got it. Definitely the baby water. Okay.” He scrambles into action, grabbing the hospital bag and nearly tripping over his own shoes as they rush to the car.
When he finally slides into the driver’s seat, he grips the steering wheel like it might vanish if he let go. His hands are shaking so much that for a moment he forgets which pedal is which.
Mommy leans her head back, breathing heavily through another contraction. “It would be nice if we could go now,” she groans, “unless you want me to give birth inside the car.”
He snaps out of it. “Okay, we’ve got this. Hospital’s fifteen minutes away.” His voice cracks, but he presses the accelerator with the solemn determination of a man heading into battle.
The streets are eerily quiet, empty under the glow of midnight lamps. And then—red. A traffic light flickers on, stopping them dead in their tracks.
“Why does it have to be now?” Daddy shouts at no one in particular. “It’s midnight! No cars anywhere! Red light? Seriously?”
Mommy lets out a low laugh, even through the pain. “Be patient” she says calmly, like she is the one driving them to safety.
One minute passes. Then two. Daddy drums the wheel, muttering under his breath.
“That can’t be happening,” he growls. “This traffic light usually takes thirty seconds!”
By the third minute, Daddy snaps. “I’m going. I don’t care. I’ll pay the ticket.” He checks the road twice—nothing moving, nothing coming. With a deep breath, he presses the gas and rolls through the empty intersection like his life depends on it.
Mommy is watching him, clutching her belly, then lets out a burst of laughter between her breaths.
Labor isn’t always the over-the-top drama we see in movies. Most moms stay surprisingly composed, managing the situation with a clear head.
Dads, however, often find themselves more shaken—especially if they haven’t prepared or read up on what to expect. The thought that a baby might arrive at any moment can feel overwhelming and stressful inside a father’s mind.