At six months pregnant tired, swollen, and still working full-time I hoped for comfort and understanding. Instead, my husband Dan handed me a piggy bank with a note attached: “SAVE UP for maternity leave.” I laughed at first, thinking it was a joke. It wasn’t.

Dan was serious. He expected me to continue covering half of our expenses even while recovering from childbirth. So, I decided to take his logic to heart and gave him exactly what he asked for: a comprehensive invoice outlining the true “costs” of pregnancy. From prenatal vitamins to emotional breakdowns, every detail was itemized. If he wanted things split evenly, I’d show him what carrying a baby really entails.

Every waddle, stretch mark, and 3 a.m. bathroom trip went on the list. When Dan saw the final total, his face said it all. It finally sunk in. He began helping more around the house, attended doctor appointments, and even joined me for prenatal yoga. One evening, he offered a genuine apology and I could tell he truly meant it.

Together, we smashed that piggy bank and made a new agreement: no more keeping score. Just mutual support, partnership, and a shared goal raising our child together. The broken piggy now rests in our garden, a symbol of the moment everything changed. Sometimes, it takes a wake-up call to truly grow.