Mom-to-be finds a brilliant way to make her husband feel the real struggles of pregnancy firsthand

A mom-to-be, Christine Higgs (@forthehome), challenged her husband, Shawn, to step into her shoes and experience what pregnancy feels like. The results, which the couple shared, demonstrate how much understanding and patience it takes to deal with the ups and downs of motherhood. The woman also revealed that the unusual task helped them grow closer as a couple and was a cheerful and enjoyable way to get through the last few months of her pregnancy. As soon as the video was shared on Instagram, it gained over a million views.

Higgs attached a large watermelon to Shawn’s torso, wrapping it tightly with multiple layers of Saran wrap to simulate a baby bump. As the challenge began, Shawn struggled with everything he was doing. From turning in bed to getting into his shoes, sitting into the car, and even taking the dog for a walk, the man struggled with everything. Upon watching this, Higgs couldn't help but laugh. After this experiment, the father knew the exact effort mothers make to carry such a weight for 9 months, as reported by Newsweek. Shawn was in disbelief when he said, "I don't know how you do this every day for 10 months, bro."

Speaking of the challenge, Higgs said, "We even made a little outing out of it and went to the store to find the perfect watermelon to match my bump. It was so fun from beginning to end." For her, one highlight of the challenge was watching Shawn when he struggled to get comfortable in her pregnancy pillow. At the end of this, Shawn said, "Christine was so strong to be able to do this for nine months. It was fun to do with [her] and laugh about it all day." Several netizens on social media took to the comment section of the video to share their views.

One Instagram user, @jaclyn.plusone, commented, “He literally looks exhausted coming back from the walk, like so tired. I’m crying. ‘What if I want to go that way?’ While lying in bed, it took me out. Because right? Imagine the effort rolling over takes. This is amazing, and he is amazing for it! 12/10 Imagine the contraction stimulation on top of that.” Another person, @dana_delfino, wrote, “I was waiting since the beginning of the video, saying I hope she made him try putting on his shoes and tying them.” Similarly, @dear.monica13 said, “Only the beginning... He doesn't even feel the change of hormones and the lingering nausea.”

@linseysijmons also chimed in and suggested, “Could we also somehow add the hormones to this challenge?” Higgs noted that her playful challenge caught the attention of many Instagram followers, with numerous people suggesting it should be followed by every partner during pregnancy. Meanwhile, pregnant women navigate a range of challenges, from physical discomfort to emotional shifts. This journey becomes even tougher with mood swings, worry, and sadness. In addition to this, some women also face the societal expectation to have a perfect pregnancy, forcing themselves to look normal even if they are facing challenges.