Until recently childbirth classes didn't really talk about pain. They talked about discomfort, pressure, being uncomfortable, but never pain. Trust me, I will call it like it is. If it's pain, I'll say pain, if it's discomfort, that's what I'll say.
Let's look at some of the causes of pain in labor. Think about it a minute and what do you think of when I say, "What causes pain in labor?"
You probably thought of contractions right away. Contractions can cause pain in labor, but let's look at this a bit more in depth. Contractions are caused from the contractions of the uterine muscle. When any muscle is working that hard and potentially that long you are going to have a tired, over worked muscle, the build up of lactic acid can be uncomfortable, as well as the general strain.
Try this!
Take a clothes pin and hold it between your thumb and fore finger. Watch a clock and open and close the clothes pin between these two fingers for at least 60 seconds. The first 10 seconds isn't so bad. Then a tightness might start to develop. You might begin to feel a burning sensation by 30 seconds. As forty five seconds approaches on your clock you're probably hoping you can really hang in there for the long haul as the pain starts to move up your arm. Ah, at last, the end of the 60 seconds.
While opening and closing the clothes pin is a very simplified version of what a muscle goes through, I'm sure you get the picture of what a working muscle does.
