Dumb question about pregnancy?

Question

Women - don't get mad at me for asking this, but how much does it hurt to give birth to a baby?

I've been told it's VERY painful, and I can totally believe it (just comparing the size of a vagina relative to a baby gives me some idea that pushing a kid through that little tube must HURT LIKE HELL).

But, can you explain to a guy (who'll never know first hand just how bad it will hurt) just how painful childbirth is?

Answer 1

It really varies woman to woman, but it's also something that we can take painkillers for. And even though it is very painful, it's not like we're pushing the baby through what you know the hole as. Our bodies are made to naturally stretch, so the hole is just a bit smaller than the baby.....usually. That's what drs refer to as being dialated. Like the pupil of your eye opens up when they're dialated, so does the vaginal opening. Now granted, it only helps a bit, a lot of times women have much larger babies that they're body opens up for. I have heard of the dr having to cut the vaginal opening a bit during labor so it's easier on the mother to get the baby out. The labor is really hard, don't get me wrong, but I really think the actual carrying of the baby is the worst. At least during labor, as long as there isn't any complications, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You know it's all going to be over soon. But with the carrying, you have the nausea, the back pain, the headaches, the mood swings, and a huge list of other crap that you just have to deal with yourself, without the use of any kind of pain reliever you are used to taking. Then later in the pregnancy you're dealing with the baby moving around and being pretty active inside, kicking your bladder and ribs. Even though it's a beautiful thing, it's also a miserable thing. 9 months of a mixture of pure happiness, joy and misery and tortue. Now can you see why women are the way they are?

Answer 2

It is pretty painful but the pain is worth every second. But every woman is made different every woman has different pain tolerances. Some woman are lucky and they push and its done with little to no pain. And other women well it hurts like hell. will out medication the head hurts and there is some pain with the shoulders but once those shoulders are out its a breeze the baby just slides out no pushing involved. If you know some one who is expecting and would actually allow you in the woman you can some times feel the pain in the air like the Ora of the delivering mother. But epidurals are a woman in labors best friend. As in feeling the pain your self imagine passing a large orange through your pee hole just the thought sounds painful. That's is as close as i can get you to child birth I hope that helps your curiosity.

Answer 3

its not even so much (believe it or not) the horrible pain of pushing the baby out of an opening that tiny...Its the contractions...it feels like this incrediable pressure in your stomache back and legs that squeezes and tighens,(a lot like the cramps you get with bad diareha just MUCH worse) it makes almost everything hurt, no matter the position, once you start pushing then the next hurtle is the "rim of fire" thats when the vagina SSSTTTRRRRETTCHHESS and usually spilts open in a tear that could be up to 3 inches, and tiny hairline cuts start forming(inmagine lots of tiny paper cuts all at once, on the head of Mr.Man) and yes I saids this was less painful then the contractions...so its not pretty. Also you would think we feel the pushing in our vaginas.. not so much it feels like your pushing to poop, and sometimes woman do that too.... Now that I scared you be grateful your a guy. Also just to let yopu know I have 2 kids my self, one was all natural, and I was in a lot of pain,(especailly towards the end) but the faith I had in God pulled me through, no matter what, the baby eventually comes out, and its all worth it.

Answer 4

It hurt so bad, that I didnt remember half of what went on in the room. Its all a blur. I have had all of mine natural, because I cant stand the thought of an epidural...It is able to be done though. By the end, before I started pushing, Then I was begging for help and wanting someone to just kill me..lol. It got pretty bad. BUt when it was over, it was a great relief and a wonderful thing to see my baby. I really dont know how to describe a pain like that.

Answer 5

Wow, it's very hard to describe- I was 19hrs into labor- the first 15 hrs of it, I had the epidural, and was giggling with my dad! However, I could still feel the contractions- my tummy hardened, and occassionally I could feel pains in my vaginal region... so I would push the button for an extra dose of the epidural... now the last 14 hrs of labor, my epidural wore off entirely. My baby just was not descending down at all, and was turned nose up instead of nose down (he was head down).... now this makes it way more painful for a woman to give birth, but it can happen, so that's why they were having me try. I was almost fully dilated, and they decided to rush me c-section.... by that time, I had cried sooooooo hard because that pain in my vaginal region hurt soooo bad, it was like my pelvis was going to shatter... yes I can say it was the worst pain of my life! Not only that, I had to be put under for the c-section... but when I woke up and had to move myself to the other bed in my room, I felt like had I been cut in half! I'm not joking! IT was terrible! I told my husband in the hospital I could NEVER go through all of that ever again.... however, 2 months later and feeling somewhat better, I thought there's a possibility I could have another... and now it's been 14 months, and the greatest joy from all that pain is my son who is a lot of work yes, but absolutely amazing. I REALLY want another, but my husband said no he can't deal with another just the other day :( So we'll see in a few yrs. I'm still nervous about having the epidural stop working completely like it did, and having to have another c-section.... by the way- my baby was 9lbs 10oz... i"m a small petite person, so that's why he just wasn't coming down! lol He was a super healthy baby- nothing wrong with me or him, just big and healthy! lol To make things worse- when I had to get my staples out, one got stuck of all things to happen, it took 3 doctors to get it out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :( It hurt sooo bad too :(

Be happy you don't have to go through the pain we do... however, my husband is truly sweet, he said he'd do anything to take that pain away from me, he didn't know what to do when I was in all that pain, i think it might have traumatized him slighty too.

It's not a dumb question... you are curious, so hopefully i could describe a little about it all. It's really hard describing the exact feeling.

Answer 6

Well there is the epidural or spinal that can make it better for you. I had a spinal and before that I was on Phenogren and Demeral, so I was pretty loopy. I still felt the contractions. They hurt like hell. I didn't have a vaginal birth unfortunately. I had to have an emergency c-section due to my heart rate increasing and the baby's decreasing. I'm pretty sure, going by what I have heard, that my recovery time was worse than a vaginal. It sucked, but I have a precious 3 year old boy now, and I would do it all over again in a heart beat.

Answer 7

Vinnie It hurts from your ribs to your down stairs; with your spine, vagina, and a place by your bladder being the worst. It hurts like you've broken your pelvis, but the break staying fresh like the way a broken rib does (every movement and breath hearts till it's healed). Each contraction gets steadily worse. You pant and pant but you can't ketch your breath. Once the head is through it is pretty easy from there. After the baby is out there is a few more contractions, but there not as bad as before. By this time your absolutely exhausted. Then they put your baby on your chest so you won't drop him/her because your all week and shaky now.

Answer 8

Well I once read a male describe it as peeing out a rhinoceros.

I have since then been assured that peeing out a macadamia nut would be sufficient to cause a male excruiating pain - which is basically what a woman has to look forward to when it comes to labour. (aside from the drugs etc which can numb things slightly)

Have a read of this link below - It's a mans perspective of his wife giving birth, you might find it interesting : )

Keep in mind that obviously it is a very rewarding experience, otherwise we would not keep going back for more!

Answer 9

Depends on if you have an epidural, some IV meds, or natural childbirth. The stretching of the cervix can be very very painful, esp. when the head and shoulders come out...which can also tear the area. My best friend just had her 9lb son with an epidural and had very little pain. It also depends on which way the baby is facing in the mother. A baby whose skull is pressing on the mothers backbone can cause excrutiating back pain for mom.

But it's all worth it....obviously....we keep doing it:)

Answer 10

You know when you have gastroenteritis with diarrhoea? (think of any time you ran to the bathroom and stayed there for a half an hour, thinking you were going to die on the toilet) You know the waves of cramps and the uncontrollable urge to push that comes with it? Giving birth is exactly like that, only 20 times stronger..AND..when that big poop comes out, it has a rock hard skull and weighs about 8 lbs on average.
That's why the labour and delivery nurses tell you to 'push like you're having the biggest poop ever' because that's EXACTLY what it feels like.
Hope that helped!!