Yes, childbirth is painful. But it's manageable. In fact, nearly half of first-time moms (46 percent) said the pain they experienced with their first child was better than they expected, according to a nationwide survey commissioned by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) in honor of Mother's Day.

Does it hurt when you push a baby out?

When you feel a contraction, you'll bear down as hard as you can to push the baby through the vagina. Pushing usually isn't painful. In fact, many women experience a feeling of relief when they push. But it is hard work because you're summoning the strength of muscles throughout your body to help push your baby out.

What does giving birth feel like?

Some people describe the feeling as being like intense period cramps, others say it feels like a tightening or pounding feeling in your uterus or across your belly, others describe the feeling as being like very intense muscle cramps, while still other people describe contractions as being like the sort of wrenching ...