Funny Birth Story: My Husband Cut His Hair While I Was in Labor (True Story)

Sometimes the most chaotic moments make the best family stories

A Normal Day Turns into Labor Signs

Back in 1990, the day before our son was born, my husband and I went to Fred’s (the 90s version of today’s Dollar General) to pick up some necessities like soap and shampoo. While we were there, I began feeling tightening and told him I thought I was having contractions. Since we had already been to the doctor with Braxton Hicks contractions, we didn’t want to rush to the hospital for no reason.

We continued shopping, but I kept having to stop and wait out the contractions that made my stomach hard and taut, breathing through them like they’d taught us in the lamest Lamaze class ever. One of the pauses brought us near the hair care aisle, and Toby saw a hair-clipping set and put it in the buggy, an impulse buy he justified by saying we could save a few dollars if he cut his own hair.

Finally, we finished shopping and headed home. I told him I was pretty sure these were real contractions and maybe we should drive to my mom’s house so she could confirm they were real since she’d birthed three of her own, I figured she would know! He agreed and started putting away the items we had purchased while I grabbed the overnight bag and a few other things to take with us.

Feeling jittery and excited all at once, I walked into the bathroom to see if he was ready to go. Wow. He had decided to try out those new clippers. Prior to this, he’d worn his hair kind of full. Now he had a Bozo cut—thick hair flowing around a big, freshly mowed gap right down the middle of his head. I didn’t even think he had used an attachment. I didn’t know whether to laugh or be annoyed. I was trying to get out of the house and see if we were about to have a baby, and there he was, buzzing his head like we had nowhere to be.

He looked excited and maybe a little overwhelmed. I’d like to think it was because of the baby, but I’m pretty sure it was the sheer amount of hair filling the sink from that one swipe down the center of his head. I decided to help him out.

Contractions, Clippers, and a Bozo Haircut

Grabbing the clippers, I started shaving his head, long swaths of soft brown hair dripping like silk into the sink and onto the floor. I kept telling him it looked all right. I lied. I wasn’t a barber, and it wasn’t a smooth shave. For days afterward, he had to keep trimming the long strays. He ended up wearing a cap for over a month because of that lovely haircut. We may have saved a few dollars at the barber, but he definitely paid for it socially.

Oh, and yes, we went to the hospital that evening after stopping by my mom’s. Those were real contractions. Eighteen hours of them. My water never broke, the contractions hit 100+ on the TOCO machine, and the doctor actually slapped my face when I jumped during the alcohol swab for the epidural—the third time.

Eighteen Hours Later: Our Son’s Birth Story

And despite it all, our baby, a whopping almost 9 pounds, was beautiful to me. Even with his giant Charlie Brown head, red and wrinkly from a long labor and a subsequent emergency C-section, he was perfect. He’s still a beautiful boy, and his folks love him very much.

Plus, he finally grew into that big head.

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That was almost thirty-five years ago, and this story still makes us laugh. It’s a reminder that life’s precious moments often come wrapped in chaos, bad decisions, and really terrible haircuts.

😴 Feeling Tired? You’re Not Alone.

If the chaos of labor, parenting, or life has ever left you utterly exhausted, you’ll relate to this:
👉 “Tired. Just Plain Tired.” – Read the Poem Here

✨ Looking for Positive C-Section Stories? You’re Not Alone.

My birth story ended with an emergency C-section, and I know how overwhelming that can be. If you want to read more positive, empowering C-section experiences, check out this collection of real stories:
👉 Positive Cesarean Stories – The Bump to Baby Chapter