Spoiler alert for anyone who hasn't been there: giving birth seriously hurts. A lot. But even for those who have experienced this special kind of pain, it can be surprisingly difficult to describe. That's in part because with time, our bodies forget the level of agony (or how else would mamas be willing to put themselves through it again?!). But it's also partly because there's few words out there that can adequately capture what it feels like as a woman's body brings a new life into this world.
That's why when someone asked a mom what birth actually feels like, she didn't know how to answer.
Despite having gone through those glorious contractions and delivering a baby, one anonymous mom shared that she didn't know how to describe what the pain was like when her sister-in-law asked. The woman shared on Mumsnet that since her SIL is trying to conceive, she was interested in knowing the truth. But she couldn't come up with anything that would do it justice so she asked the internet for help — and other moms were more than happy to chime in!
Some women got graphic...
"It's a mix of the worst periods of your life, kidney stones, trapped wind, being ripped apart and the wish to kill the smug and smiley and patronizing medical person supposed to help you," one user commented.
"I imagine it would be similar to having a limb amputated without anesthetic," another wrote.
Others brought in power tools to get the level of pain across.
"When I was asked what it felt like the only thing close enough was being cut in half with an axe that was on fire…. or simply that my body was going to rip in half. but that still doesn’t do justice to the pain. Also I mooed like a cow," one mom added.
"Like someone sticking an industrial powered hoover up your arse, and switching it on and off at increasing close intervals," another woman wrote.
"Like being crushed in a vice but from the inside out," one user described.
Then there were the moms who used pooping as comparison points.
"Shitting a football?" one user commented.
"Like shitting a portable telly," another added. "Nothing else really describes it so well as this perfect quote from my (midwife) mate!"
"Tell her to take a load of Imodium, eat nothing but vindaloo and then after five days try and have a poo. Times that by ten maybe?" one suggested.
Others weren't afraid to brutally break it down, stage by stage.
"I’ve been told that crowning was like if you put your fingers in your mouth and stretch sort of thing x1000," another added.
"Before I had a baby my Drs used to describe pain on a scale of 1-10. Now they tend to ask in relation to Labour. Gives you a clue," one user commented.
"It felt like being crushed to death," another mom wrote.
"I think there is or are points when most people think they might die aren’t there? That might sum it up neatly…," one user added.
FEATURED VIDEO: THESE PREGNANCY STRUGGLES ARE SO REAL
Others reminded that everyone has different pain thresholds and not to judge...
"Tell her it's f*cking horrible but that's what the drugs are for, also there are breaks between the pain so it's not relentless," one wrote.
Then there were those who had back labor....
"I had back labour and I honestly swear (& have told everyone who asked) that it felt like a cheese grater against my back bones. No one ever asked me again!" one wrote.
"I felt like my spine was being crushed to the point I thought it was going to snap," another described.
While it's good to be honest, others don't recommend being so truthful that you scare first-time moms.
"I don't know why she would want to know — best to be blissfully unaware!" one person wrote.
"Mother nature was wise here because if we remembered the pain fully we would never do it again," another wrote.
