Nick Cannon: Mariah's Hospital Trip Wasn't a "Scare"

It sounded like a close call when pregnant Mariah Carey -- complaining of early contractions -- was rushed to the hospital over the weekend.

But her husband Nick Cannon explained that the situation wasn't quite as dire as some reports suggested. "They're calling it a 'scare', but really, it was just nerve-wracking. We were in the hospital from 4 a.m. until I don't even know," Cannon, 30, told the Los Angeles Times.

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Due May 14, Carey, 42, is expecting a twin boy and girl. "The thing with twins is that you want them in their natural incubator as long as possible," the dad-to-be explained. "They might be ready to come out, but we need them to stay in for a while."

But is Mama Mariah ready? "She's super ready," Cannon quipped with a laugh.

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Carey dealt with the pangs of late pregnancy on Monday, her birthday, by painting her stomach with a butterfly and Tweeting the pic to fans.

"That's her finding the fun and festiveness through the pain," Cannon explained.

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The parents-to-be are also grateful for all the loot they've received from well wishers.

"We got so much stuff. ... There's all these giant stuffed animals," he said of the baby gifts. "It looks like Noah's Arc in here. There's giraffes, polar bears, lions."