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by Daydreamer on May 21st, 2005

Daydreamer

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If we feel pain to stop us from doing something that may cause us death or injury and we are meant to procreate in order to keep the human race going, why is giving birth so painful?

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Answers. 9 helpful answers below.

  • by lynnenorth on October 12th, 2005

    lynnenorth

    Giving birth is a lot more painful for humans than it is for many mammals (not all, just many). The reason is that we operate just on the limit of what is physically feasible.

    The baby's brain, and thus skull, is the biggest thing to have to fit through the pelvic opening. The brain being smaller at birth would mean even more development to be done after the birth, and an even more prolonged period of utter helplessness -- so it is useful to have the baby as developed as possible. However, if the head were any bigger it WOULDN'T be able to pass through the pelvic opening -- as it is, every birth carves notches into the pelvic arch where the bones must soften and slightly separate in order for the birth to happen.

    Basically, birth is painful because it pushes the limits of what the human body is actually capable of doing.

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  • by Grandma Roses - my avatar is my real dog on September 11th, 2005

    Grandma Roses - my avatar is my real dog

    Because the painful part is not something that we make a direct choice about. The memory of the pain of childbirth fades with time and becomes an accepted part of the family-building process, which we do make choices about.

    Alternatively, because the beginning of the whole process, the sex that leads to conception , is still pleasurable after you have been through the pain. Similar to the pain of an athletic injury which doesn't stop you from engaging in the sport that gave you the injury - the pleasure sensation is greater than the memory of the pain.

    Besides, your opening premise, about pain's purpose, isn't absolute - the recovery process from many injuries, including surgery, involves engaging in activities that cause pain but ultimately lead to healing - physiotherapy, for example.

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  • by riffraff814 on May 21st, 2005

    riffraff814

    The average normal human birth isn't that painful, and it is quite unlikely to cause death or even minor injury.

    ETA:
    Perhaps it's not an incredible boat load of fun in an attempt to keep our species from over-running the planet and depleting it of all its natural resources?

    Sort of similar is the question of why eating vegetables isn't fun, but eating sugar is. However, if you only ever eat sugar, you die really fat and much younger than you would if you only ever eat vegetables.

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  • by CAPTAINBOB on December 9th, 2009

    CAPTAINBOB

    If it were not for pain, we would not even know what pleasure is. Another example of the brillance of our Creator.

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  • by L. Taylor on December 9th, 2009

    L. Taylor

    Becuase Eve ate off the Tree of life when God forbidden her and Adam not to. Here is the verse why there is so much pain involved in childbirth:

    Genesis 3:16

    16 To the woman he said,

    “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;
    in pain you shall bring forth children.
    Your desire shall be for your husband,
    and he shall rule over you.”

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  • by dugsfrend on September 10th, 2006

    dugsfrend

    cuz what would pleasure be without pain?

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  • by Vaporeongirl on December 9th, 2009

    Vaporeongirl

    Because Satan created pregnancy and is a cruel entity. I think it would be best if we all laid eggs. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, God decided to allow Satan to be the architect of reproduction.

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  • by CaRbOnPrOdUcK is Baccuss on December 9th, 2009

    CaRbOnPrOdUcK is Baccuss

    Because human babies are fat heads.

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  • by Vianne on July 27th, 2005

    Vianne

    Because you're trying to fit something the size of a watermelon out a hole the size of a lemon.

    It would be highly impractical for the vaginal canal to always remain dialated to the average width it takes for a child to exit and be born; therefore, it must open to the necessary width only when the necessary time comes. Tissues must stretch to create more room. The uterus must contract to expel the child; it has no other way of getting the kid out. Unfortunately, this is all uncomfortable.

    On that note, however, anxiety can be a major cause of pain during childbirth. Do a search on "natural childbirth" or "hypnobirthing", and you'll see that proper relaxation can often reduce or eliminate the pain of birth. Muscles tense in response to the mother's fear, and this only tightens the passage, making it more difficult for the body to do what it is trying to do and making it, yes, more painful. It's a vicious cycle.

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