Medfag here: this belongs in the medfag general...actually not really since it's such a dumb question.
>>10812703Think about the mechanism: labor pains are the uterus contracting vigorously, basically muscle spasms(muscle spasms are painful, think of when you get back pain from a strain) producing crampy abominal pain. Labor is basically the worse period cramps of your life + pushing a solid object (usually weighing 7-9lb) out of your vaginal canal.
As for why muscle spasms are painful evolutionarily, I guess you'll have to make a thread about that, or read a book on muscle cells and physiology lol.
>>10814031>>10812733It's not meme'd. It depends on whether the woman has given birth before VAGINALLY (primigravid) or not. Also if she's a teen(hasn't developed 100% most likely) during this first time. Obviously, if your vagina has been dilated to that extent before, it's easier to get there so it won't take long and thus you won't be in pain a long time. A woman giving birth for the 4th time, passes that shit in like an 1-2 hours tops once her water breaks unless something is wrong.
I agree that hospitals not letting the woman squat, mainly here in America, is pretty silly though. The way we poop on toilets is also very silly but what are you gonna do, people want laziness? I think it's personally about lawsuit prevention imo. It's probably a lot easier to make sure you don't drop the now slippery baby when the woman is laying down with legs wide open in front of you then with her squatting over the bed and you putting your hands under. Still sad when the health system is more interested in covering their asses quality care. I think they make women squat in some UK labor and delivery units though, no? I saw a vid on it once.