While you may have thought this only happens in the movies, it does actually occur in real life. Maybe not to the human species, but to the seahorse species.

"The female shortly after breeding, passes the fertilized egg onto the male who has a special pouch in which he carries them," said Mike Janis, the Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park director.

The pregnancy period is about 3 weeks. And with a bulging pouch that can carry up to 2000 eggs, male seahorses feel the same bouts of fatigue that humans do.

"During that time when they start getting larger, the male is a lot less active. He's more likely to hang out in the seaweed himself rather than go out and hunt," said Janis.

Male pregnancies for seahorses

It's not called a labor of love for no reason. Child birth is a pain only mothers can understand but what if tables were turned, and it was the fathers who became pregnant? News 10 Now's Karen Lee introduces us to a species that works just that way.

We of course couldn't resist and had to ask some of the dads here.

"They can keep that part, the seahorses, I won't begrudge my wife that," said Kevin Croston, a Corning resident.

"Just carrying him around now, it's enough of a weight I can't imagine having to carry him around full time," said Jim Calkings, a Maryland resident.

"That's not my job, I bring the money home, I'm not carrying no eggs. No way," said Bobby Hoblitz, a Bainbridge resident.

So while we may not see men giving birth any time soon, on this Mother's Day and every other day for that matter, relieved husbands should bestow their gratitude and love.

"She did a great job obviously because he's here," said Calkins.

"I'm proud of what she did, I'm proud of him and I'm proud of the whole family," said Croston.