“Unbearable”, “similar to kidney stones”, “leg pain”… We asked several mothers what they found most painful during childbirth. Their testimony.
The perception of pain is an eminently personal thing. Indeed, no two births are alike and each woman has her own pain tolerance threshold. Note that many external factors can have an impact on the pain felt: stress and psychological state, degree of preparation, support, personal history, memory of a previous birth, the presence or absence of a supportive partner. But in concrete terms, what exactly does the pain of contractions and expulsion feel like? Here are 6 testimonies from mothers who have each experienced the pain of childbirth very differently.
Alice, mother of three girls aged 2 to 9
“I was in a lot of pain, but it was bearable. As for the expulsion, it happens so quickly! It’s obviously very painful and at the same time it relieves, so it’s ambivalent. I think the body accepts this pain in a way because it knows it’s useful. That’s why it’s acceptable, because in reality, we wouldn’t experience it in the same way at all if there wasn’t the relief, the short duration and a baby at the end. !”
Melody, mother of a 3 year old boy
“I found the pain of the contractions truly unbearable! I lost my composure and forgot everything I had learned about breathing during the childbirth preparation sessions. I remember standing up during each contraction, wriggling around and begging my partner to help me! As for the expulsion, the epidural didn’t work, and I felt like I was burning, like I was tearing. And despite all that… I would give anything to live that day again!“
Julia, mother of an 8 month old girl
“I found it really hurt a lot. But I think I would have handled the pain better if I hadn’t had contractions for 48 hours before giving birth. I would say that if this pain is unique, it is quite close to that felt during a kidney stone attack!”
Stephanie, mother of a 2 year old boy
“I had a caesarean section, so the most painful part of the birth was the contractions that completely took my breath away. However, I managed to tell myself that it wouldn’t last and I waited for the moment of respite to catch my breath again. What I found the hardest was the repetition and the duration (more than 30 hours of contractions). At the end, I didn’t even feel the effects of the epidural anymore, I was exhausted and I threw up“.
Nina, mother of two girls aged 6 and 8
“I‘I had a lot of pain, but I find it difficult to assess. It is a very particular pain and at the same time, we know that it has an end. A contraction lasts a minute, it is intense, but it does not last. On the other hand, I remember feeling very strong pain in my legs, I did not expect it!“
Marianne, mother of an 8 year old boy
“Surprisingly, I don’t remember suffering a lot. I was really dreading childbirth, but my midwife told me that she had often seen women who didn’t seem to suffer that much! Maybe that played a role, but in any case, I was hyper-focused, completely in my own bubble. I did breathing exercises and managed not to let myself get overwhelmed!“