How Much Does Birth Hurt?

Hi,  I am six months pregnant. I have alot of quetions to ask, but I won’t ask alot. All I really want to know when I have the baby will it hurt? I’m going to have it natually. My mom says I have to be 10 cm to have it.. Will it hurt if I get a c-section?

~ Kirstie

Hi Kirstie. Birthing the baby actually doesn’t hurt- you don’t have nerve endings in your cervix and the pressure of the baby will numb your vaginal canal and bottom. Birth itself will feel like a huge relief. But what does hurt are contractions, when your uterus tenses up and squeezes as it pushes the baby down. Though the uterus doesn’t feel pain, the muscles on all sides of the uterus do, and ache when they get pulled. The good news is contractions come in waves and only last from 30 to 90 seconds each, then go away for a few minutes. They aren’t scary because you know what’s happening and that the pain will start to get better as soon as it’s bad. Walking and changing positions can help you get through them, or soaking in a birth tub if one is available.

For a first baby it can make a huge difference to have a labor assistant (sometimes called a doula), someone who is not a doctor or shift nurse or related to you but who is specially trained to support women in labor and during birth. A doula can help you find positions that help the pain, talk you through what’s going on, help family and hospital staff help you and be by your side for all of labor and delivery. Ask your doctor to help you find one. Some hospitals offer their services as part of their delivery package and sometimes doula services are covered by health insurance plans. If you don’t have insurance you may be able to find a doula-in-training who will support you for little or no cost.

If you do have to have a c-section, you’ll be glad to know that thanks to modern medicine having one doesn’t hurt at all, though it may the day after if your pain medication begins to wear off, and you will have discomfort at your incision site for a few days, especially when you get up from sitting on lying down. Taking pain medication on a schedule (so it doesn’t wear off all at once) and wearing a band to protect the incision area will help.

Best wishes!