I’m here to share a cautionary tale about a spectacular birth announcement blunder that could serve as a lesson for new and experienced dads alike. Spoiler alert: it ends happily (not in that way!). We’re still together and genuinely like each other, so that’s a positive sign.
After the birth of our third child—our first daughter, who arrived weighing nearly 10 pounds—I was feeling a bit sore and was finally ready to attempt a shower the next afternoon. My mother graciously offered to help, and despite my exhaustion, I felt rejuvenated when we emerged from the hospital bathroom. I longed to collapse back into bed as the baby napped, but my husband intercepted me, and that’s when disaster struck.
The Fateful Exchange
The fateful exchange went something like this:
Husband: “I sent some photos to work to show them the baby. They’re great, right?”
Me (glancing at the images): “You’re joking, right?”
Husband: “No. What’s wrong? I think they look good.”
Me (increasingly panicked): “OH MY GOD! You must be kidding! The one with you, me, and the baby is right after delivery, and I’m not covered! It looks like a crime scene! Did you even LOOK at them?”
Husband (now frantic): “Well, yeah, I did. I even showed your dad before I sent them!”
At this point, my parents were in the room, and my dad’s eyes were wide with disbelief. He attempted to defend both himself and my husband, saying, “We were just focused on your faces; it was a cute family moment… well, from the waist up!”
While my dad was laughing, my mom looked horrified, and I felt my head pounding from the stress, on top of my postpartum discomfort.
My husband quickly entered damage control mode, repeating, “Oh no, oh my God, how did I miss that?” In disbelief, he turned to us and asked, “Why would they even take this picture? Who does that?”
I could barely contain my frustration as I clenched my jaw and shouted, “YOU ASKED THE NURSE TO TAKE IT! AND HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE CROP TOOL ON YOUR PHONE? GET IT TOGETHER!”
In a panic, he rushed to call his manager but struggled to get through on the number saved in his phone. Eventually, he dialed a different one, and the conversation went like this (as I envisioned all the worst-case scenarios of going viral for the wrong reasons):
Husband: “Hey! How’s it going? So, the baby’s great, and my wife is doing well! Um, so I sent you some photos that you need to NOT look at and delete. Seriously, don’t even open them; trust me!”
His boss was likely thinking he had sent something inappropriate—and he wouldn’t have been wrong!
Husband (with nervous laughter): “Okay, so you didn’t receive anything from me? I sent them at least 10 minutes ago.” My anxiety had skyrocketed.
Husband: “If you do get them, please don’t share them with the team. I included one that should NOT have been sent. Ha! Thanks.” He hung up, leaving me speechless as I contemplated the absurdity of the situation.
He sheepishly emerged from the bathroom and resumed searching his phone, discovering several texts indicating “message failed” from the photos sent to his manager. It turned out he had accidentally messaged his manager’s home phone number! Honestly, this entire episode aged me at least five years— I entered the hospital at 38, and two days later, I felt like I left at 43!
Lessons Learned
- My husband should be restricted from smartphone access with photo capabilities for at least a week after our baby’s arrival.
- When he does have access, a female should review any outgoing photos (as evidenced by both him and my dad missing my exposed state). No woman would overlook that! But honestly, thank goodness my dad didn’t catch it—how awkward would that have been?
- I plan to use this whole fiasco as a cautionary tale for our kids about the potential pitfalls of accidental sexting, so I’m confident we won’t have to deal with that in the future.
For more information on home insemination kits, check out this blog post. Also, if you’re looking for expert advice on maternal health, visit this site. Lastly, for an excellent resource on pregnancy, visit MedlinePlus.
Summary
This story recounts a disastrous moment when my husband inadvertently sent explicit postpartum photos to his coworkers while trying to share the joy of our new baby. The experience serves as a humorous cautionary tale about the importance of double-checking what you send, especially in moments of heightened emotion like welcoming a new child.