Why this mum thinks a painful birth is exaggerated

Author Milli Hill has spoken out about childbirth, saying the pain is not as bad as women think.

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When discussing her latest book, The Positive Birth Book, in an article for The Telegraph, Milli touched on how painful birth really is.

She said: ‘When I was writing The Positive Birth Book, I wanted to reconsider the widely held idea that giving birth is mostly spent writhing on your back in non-stop agony.

‘I wondered why people don’t tell you more about the time in between contractions, when (in a straightforward labour with a well positioned baby), you don’t feel in pain at all.’

Of course, when we discuss childbirth, we can’t help but talk about the pain we went through.

But Milli wants women to not be scared of labour because of the stories they hear.

Feeling euphoric and strong

‘In my own experience – and that of the many mums I’ve spoken to – in the time between contractions you often feel incredibly strong, excited, or even euphoric,’ she said.

‘As one woman put it, “It’s not a million miles off magic mushrooms, not that I ever tried them you understand.”’

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Milli said after doing the maths, she found out 77% of labour is ‘pain-free’:

‘I did the maths, and the results were surprising. In an average eight-hour labour, a woman can expect to be ‘in pain’ for only around 23% of the time. The other 77% is ‘pain-free’.

‘And even in ‘the nightmare labour from hell’ – 36 hours of contractions coming thick and fast – she can still expect to be without pain for around 60% of the time.

‘Why does nobody talk to pregnant women about ‘the 77%’?’

According to Milli's calculations, this means that in an 8-hour labour, a woman would be in pain for about two hours, or 14 hours during a 36-hour labour.

Milli is also the founder of the Positive Birth Movement, which spreads positivity about childbirth.

Sophie Fletcher, the author of Mindful Hypnobirthing, said:

‘A wide range of research shows that our experience can be altered by our expectation.

‘Sometimes we are unaware of the power we have to change our expectations thereby changing our actual experiences.’

What was your birth experience like? Share your story with us in the Coffeehouse:

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