When a woman talks about labor pain and childbirth, you listen hard when you're pregnant. You want to know what it takes to bring a human being into this world. Many wish they're like the women who don't feel any pain until they're almost fully dilated.
Most of the time though you'll hear moms describe labor pain as "masakit," "sobrang sakit," or "grabeng sakit." Attach a superlative word you can think of to "sakit" or "pain," and that's it.
We thought it would be fun to ask moms on our Smart Parenting Village Facebook group how they can describe labor pain other than using the word "masakit" and the like. They got creative."Parang mamamatay ka na. Parang lalabas yung lahat ng laman loob mo." — Berns Lazo, mom of three
"Almost the same feeling as LBM, but bolder, and not the 'sharp' kind of pain. [Contractions] became frequent and more like 'sinasapak from within' with a full fist. Another similar feeling would be the first hard mid-center pull when having a Brazilian wax pero paulit-ulit." — Bea Patricia Jalandoni labored for 22 hours but delivered son Frederick Johann, now age 1, via emergency CS.
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW"[It's like] ten kids stepping on your back plus menstrual cramps plus LBM plus tension headaches and a bad toothache!" — Sunshine SG, mom to Antonio Luis, age 1
"Halos half day na magmula nung nagbreak water bag ko bago ako naglabor pains. Parang binabali yung likod ko. Yung tipong pinahiga ka tapos binabali likod mo." — Rayzy Nufable, mom of two.
"A thousand times dysmenorrhea!" — Diane dela Rosa, mom to Alejandro Olivier Sotol, age 1
"Yung feeling na 'gusto mo ng mag-transform' at dahil sa sobrang sakit, tatlong beses mong natanggal ung bakal ng higaan mo sa labor room." — Cee Tee had just given birth to her son Uriel Sebastian last June.
"The contractions were tolerable. Parang kinukuryente ng light, yung ngimay kuryente type. The contractions plus dilation were a whole different story. Parang LBM na menstrual cramping na na-food poison." — Juno Ang Cordero, mom to daughter, Elisha, 7 months
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"Yung manlilisik mata mo sa asawa mo sa sakit." — Joarlyn M. Espiritu was in labor for 28 hours and delivered her daughter Sunny, 9 months, via induced normal delivery.
CONTINUE READING BELOWwatch now"Contractions were like your worst dysmenorrhea. [It] felt like a wound that's repeatedly cut with a burning sensation, and your just want the baby out so for the contractions to stop. I had epidural when I couldn't take it anymore, which made it bearable. But the dilation didn't progress any further so naging emergency CS na. I think the same ang sakit labor contractions sa first poop and ihi after delivery." — Bless Mandapat, mom to Margaux Lyanna, 4 months
"Parang may tali na nakapalibot sa tiyan ko na minuminuto humihigpit, pasikip ng pasikip. Sobrang sakit sabayan pa ng hilab na para kang may diarrhea." — Shelle P. Reyes, mom of one
"Parang mahahati sa dalawa katawan ko dahil sa pain. Taas lahat ng buhok ko sa katawan kada hihilab."
— Chestyne Norellie Calzada, mom to daugther Alliejandra Loise, 9 months"Just like really terrible dysmenorrhea, only it spreads from lower navel to above belly button, and it only happens every few minutes like clockwork. The wait between contractions makes things even worse, because you brace for pain when there's no pain, and you wait for peace when there's pain. Crazy."
— Ethel Uy, mom of one.ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWWhat other parents are reading
"A pain you want to end! Kahit normal delivery ka, gusto mong mag-CS na to end the pain. Kahit sabihin na wag mo muna iiri, iiri ka ng iiri kasi ang gusto mo mailabas mo na para matapos na ang sakit. Not a tolerable pain. Pinakamatinding pain na na-experienced ko in my whole life." — Jane Bodiola, mom to daughter Grane, 11, and son Gane, 4
Pain is an important part of childbirth. It's your body telling you to push so you can help your baby who's inching his or her way out of the birth canal. But there also is nothing wrong with asking and receiving medication to manage or alleviate the pain. We say listen to your body and your doctor.
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