At Mum Central, we love sharing content that makes a major impact on our readers. Real viral stories, raw photographs, relatable tales that make us laugh, cry and feel #allthefeels.
2021 was a particularly beautiful year for us at Mum Central. We published hundreds of stories and had so many lovely comments from our tribe of readers (that’s you guys!). So thank you so much for sharing the love and for continuing to support us!
We wanted to share with you the top 10 viral stories of 2021 that were most loved, read, and shared by our readers. Which one was your favourite?
The viral stories of 2021
OUR #1 STORY OF 2021:Â 24-Year-Old Mum has 20 Babies, All Under the Age of 18 Months
Kristina Ozturk really loves babies. Clearly. And she and her millionaire husband, Galip, 57, decided that they would like a large family and didn’t want to wait. With the help of surrogates, the couple welcomed 20 babies in just over a year. Check out their insane household and how they make it work.
Spoiler Alert: It takes an army of nannies!
#2: Nine-Year-Old Son Supports His Mum Through Labour and Birth
Gosh, I love this story. It makes me melt every time I see the pictures. The little boy above is nine-year-old Charlie who acted as his mum’s support person during her labour with his little sister.
Through every contraction, Charlie was there. He held her hair back, he rubbed her neck, he let her lean on him as she went through the painful motions of labour. He was even there to catch his little sister. This young man did it all and without a single complaint, ‘eew gross’ or eye roll.
These photos are absolutely amazing, just like Charlie.
#3: Teens Take Fake Babies Home for the Weekend. Let’s Just Say it Doesn’t End Well
We’ve all seen those shows where high school students have to take home fake babies as part of a home ec. or life planning class. The babies are mechanical but are designed to mimic a newborn’s reactions – sleep, cry, eat, poop. We all know the drill.
But what happened when the students were knee-deep in baby whinging and questions about how to actually care for a baby?
They texted their teacher. Andrea shared her favourite texts with the world and we laughed and laughed and laughed.
#4: Mid-Contraction Birth Photo Shows Just How Amazing Our Bodies Really Are
Another beautiful photography story is this stunning pic of a mother mid-contraction. WOW, check out that intensity!
#5: 17 Unexpected Things You’ll Discover When Entering the Labour Suite
We all had a good laugh with this cheeky story – behind the scenes of the labour suite. How many can you relate to?
#6: The Reality of Having Newborn Quadruplets
Lying in bed with four newborns across your chest. This is motherhood in its purest, strongest, rawest form.
Dayna is a mum of four beautiful quadruplets- Willow, Willis, Otto and Simon. Dayna takes us behind the scenes of what life was like when her little ones were brand new. So much work but SOO worth it!
#7: Calendar Baby Names are Taking off This Year, Here are Our Top Picks
Baby names have always been popular with our readers and 2021 was no exception. Our top baby name post of the year was the calendar baby name trend. Think August, May (or Mae), Wednesday and more.
#8: New Naming Trend: 20 Four Letter Baby Names Parents are Loving
Another naming trend to take out a top spot? Four letter baby names!
We’ve already seen our fair share of Emmas, Jacks and Islaas but these are the four-letter names expected to take off this year (and the years following). Including sweet options like Sage, Remi, Gray and Mack.
#9: The Next Wave of Retro Baby Names are in and they are Adorable
Another baby name story made it to our #9 spot – this time it’s all about retro baby names. These are the latest names from the past that are making a comeback including Isadora, Zadie, Ambrose and Trudy.
#10: ‘I’m Sorry’: Harrowing Video on NZ Mother’s Suicide is a Must Watch
We end our round-up of our most popular viral stories of 2021 with a heartbreaking video. This three-minute video depicts a New Zealand mother struggling during pregnancy and new motherhood before she takes her own life. It’s hard to watch but it brings to light a very tragic story and raises awareness of a very real situation many mothers face.
Thanks for joining us in 2021 – Stay tuned for next year for more viral stories to make you laugh, cry and share!
What to read next
- ROUNDUP: Our Most Viral Stories of 2020Â
- Woman’s Way to Ask for Help When In an Uncomfortable Situation Goes Viral
- Share Your Real Life Stories and Video Reels with Mum Central!
