Pregnant Women's Labor Pain: Why do pregnant women no longer have labor pain? How difficult is it to give birth to a child?

Labor Pain: Many women say they don't even remember the pain of childbirth. They remember the entire experience. Let us explain why this happens.

 

What is labor pain?

No Labor Pain Reason: Many women honestly say they don't even remember the pain of childbirth. They remember the entire experience, such as the doctor's words, the presence of family, and the baby's first cry, but they can't remember the actual intensity of the pain. According to experts, it's not that women actually experience memory loss, but rather that memories of pain naturally fade over time. Let's explain how this affects the baby.

Why do you forget labor pains?

Not every woman's experience is the same. A 2014 study in Japan included over 1,000 women who gave birth in the early 2000s. The study found that these women still remembered their labor pains five years later. They could even clearly identify the painful parts. Scientists say that remembering or forgetting labor pain is highly individual and dependent on many factors. According to a 2016 study, the entire childbirth experience, pain relief options, and the presence or absence of complications all contribute to a woman's memory of the pain. This means that it's not just the intensity of the pain, but also the circumstances at the time and the woman's mental state that influence how the brain stores the experience. The question now arises: why do many women say they don't remember labor pain? The answer lies in hormonal changes in the body.

Hormones help

Immediately after childbirth, levels of the hormone oxytocin increase significantly in the body. This is the bonding hormone that creates a deep bond between mother and child. Psychologist Janet Bayramyan, a California-based psychotherapist, says, "Oxytocin not only connects the mother to the baby, but it also softens the memory of pain." This is why many women don't remember the pain as intensely later.

The wonder of evolution

Researchers believe this is a remarkable natural mechanism. If women remembered the same intense pain every time, they might be afraid to conceive again. Therefore, the body automatically uses selective amnesia to blur the memory of the pain.

Does it affect the birth of a child?

Not feeling or remembering labor pains doesn't have any negative impact on childbirth. Medical science currently offers several pain-relief options, such as epidurals and gas-relief techniques, that can help women deliver safely and without excessive pain.