As a new mother enjoys the joy of parenthood, she wonders how the pain babies experience from teething compares to the labour pain faced by women. Actor Shilpa Saklani Agnihotri was exploring the topic after her 17-month-old daughter went through teething at an accelerated pace.
While researching online, she came across a medical professional's viewpoint that equated the intensity of teething pain in infants to a woman's labour contractions. This left Agnihotri curious to learn more on validating such a comparison.
We spoke to Dr. Badshah Khan, a pediatrician at a reputed hospital, to gain insight on the matter. He emphasized that both situations involve the body undergoing changes, but cautioned against directly comparing the two experiences.
Teething is the natural process where babies' milk teeth start emerging through the gums. In contrast, labour marks the culmination of pregnancy with women enduring intense contractions to deliver the baby.
While teething can cause discomfort through symptoms like excessive drooling and fussiness in response to swollen gums, its duration is usually temporary – lasting a few days to a week max. Paediatric medications are helpful in alleviating babies' teething pain.
However, labour signifies major physiological and psychological adaptations for women. The contractions can be excruciating and last for a prolonged period with potential long-term health impacts.
Therefore, according to the medical expert, it is difficult to objectively gauge teething versus labor pain based on set parameters, as they are distinct life events. Overall intensity and length of each process differ vastly.
