Husband Takes Center Stage During Wife’s Labor, Complains About Stomach Ache

Sometimes in moments of stress, it’s not always the obvious character who struggles the most. Take Tiffany Espensen’s (@tiffypics) pregnancy as a prime example. She posted a video documenting her husband's reaction to her water breaking, and it's (as of this writing) nearing the 6 million view mark.

The clip, titled “Anyone else’s husband had nerves? My water just broke and Lawson had immediate stomach pains!” showed Tiffany’s “soft-boy” husband leaning over a sink, head in hands, while she tries to calm him down after her water just broke.

A text overlay of the scene reads: “POV: your water breaks, but your husband has a bad tummy ache, so we had to delay going to the hospital until his insides decided to calm down, only to find out it was just nerves.” Tiffany narrates, attempting to keep things light: “He’s doing great. Guys, it’s Labor Day. He’s doing great.”

Meanwhile, her husband protests: “I’m doing fine. I’m really struggling right now. Please don’t do this.” She encourages him to breathe, only for him to fire back, “You can’t. So serious. You can’t,” while seemingly throwing a tantrum.

Commenters who responded to her video didn't seem to take kindly to the man's behavior. One wrote, “How can I make this about me,” which seemed to be the overall vibe. Someone else chimed in with, “Congrats on both babies.” Many other commenters wrote, "May this love never find me."

For the uninitiated who may not understand this reference: “may this love never find me” gained traction in June 2024 when a video went viral showing a woman proposing to her boyfriend.

As she rattled off a romantic speech professing her feelings for him, he was looking at his phone during the whole thing.

Tiffany’s video inadvertently opened up a conversation on the emotional toll childbirth takes on some fathers. Research does indicate that men can experience significant anxiety during pregnancy and labor. Studies put about 5% to 15% of future fathers reporting perinatal anxiety, which can manifest as physical symptoms — which could explain Lawson’s “tummy ache."

It did seem that there were more than a few people in the comments section who hoped that Lawson would metaphorically "man up" after his wife's water broke.

Comparing the symptoms that men and women undergo during labor would be like comparing apples to oranges, however.

Physical complications like chronic pain and postpartum depression affect a sizeable percentage of mothers, not to mention the mental and emotional toll of carrying and delivering a child.

Emotional labor — on top of actual labor — doesn't seem like a burden women should have to carry. For many of the millions of viewers, Tiffany’s husband became a symbol of how these dynamics often play out: the man’s feelings overtaking the woman’s experience.

It seems that Tiffany definitely meant for her video of Lawson's tummy ache to be funny, but as the comments revealed, it didn’t land that way for everyone. Instead, it highlighted an unfair relationship dynamic that triggered several individuals.

Even in critical moments, the focus shifts away from where it should be — that this was mom's moment to be cared for and looked after.

Some might argue that childbirth is hard enough—there’s no need for a supporting role to try and "upstage" the mom who is going through the pain of carrying and delivery new life.

What do you think of Lawson's reaction to Tiffany's water breaking? And what about the comments' section response to his stomach woes? Do you think it was fair for folks to malign him for having such a severe reaction? Or do you think he should have sucked it up and made sure she was taken care of during this situation?