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Have you ever given birth? For those of you women who have never given birth, you must be wondering how painful it is during childbirth. Most of the women who have given birth must answer very sick. However, how much does it really hurt?
What causes pain during childbirth?
The uterus has many muscles. These muscles will contract vigorously to expel your baby when you give birth. This uterine muscle contraction is the main source of the pain you feel during childbirth.
Apart from contracting your uterine muscles, pain during childbirth is also caused by pressure on the perineum, bladder, and intestines. This is because the baby's head is constantly pressing for a way out. Pain also results from stretching of the birth canal and vagina.
How much pain you feel depends on several factors, such as the strength of the contractions (which will continue to increase during labor), the size of your baby, the position of your baby in the womb, and the speed at which you deliver. The pain you feel can feel like cramps in the stomach, groin, and back, accompanied by aches.
What will the pain feel like during childbirth?
The pain you feel during childbirth may vary between mothers. In fact, the pain that a mother feels during childbirth can vary between pregnancies. This can happen because genetics and maternal experiences also determine how much pain you feel. The mother's ability to endure pain during childbirth also determines this. Social support during childbirth, maternal fear and anxiety during childbirth can also influence how much the mother hurts.
The pain you feel during childbirth will come gradually, from the time you are about to give birth until you have successfully given birth. Here are the steps:
- Early labor (for 8 hours or more). The contractions can come on every 5-20 minutes and last 30-60 seconds. At this time your cervix begins to open, about 3-4 cm. The contractions can come on more frequently and cause more pain. The pain you are feeling right now is like stomach cramps during menstruation.
- During childbirth (for 2-8 hours). The contractions last longer, are stronger, and are more frequent. This causes your cervix to be almost fully open, up to 7 cm.
- Transition period (about an hour). This is the most painful thing because your cervix has almost completed its opening (10 cm) and your baby is starting to move toward the birth canal. You can feel the contractions more often. You may also feel pain in your back, groin, and thighs, and feel nauseous.
- When you push (a few minutes to 3 hours). The pain you feel may be overwhelmed by the urge to push to push the baby out. Even though you are in constant pain, many mothers say that pushing is a big push that can help relieve stress. When the baby's head is visible, you may feel a burning or burning sensation around the vaginal opening.
- When the placenta comes out (for 30 minutes). After you have successfully given birth, your pain doesn't just go away. You still need to remove the placenta that is in your uterus. However, this stage is relatively easy to do. You can still feel the contractions and cramps after giving birth. These contractions make it easier for you to expel the placenta. Maybe right now you don't feel any significant pain because you are already focused on your newborn baby.