Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Times Internet Limited. Why is it so painful for humans to give birth? And while that's true in some cases, it's not a universal rule. "Every time the [queen] gets pregnant, her intervertebral disc space the space between her vertebrae on her spine will get just a tiny bit bigger, and then bigger and bigger every time she has a litter," Kerns told Live Science. Perhaps the most horrifying birth is that of the spotted hyena. Some women experience pain in their sides or thighs as well. The calf of a 1,300-pound heifer weighs around 100 pounds; similarly, a 140-pound woman might give birth to a nine-pound baby. 3 of 32 Corbis. Veterinarians recommend that you exercise caution when approaching an animal in labor, as she may lash out. Childbirth is a uniquely painful and difficult experience for humans. What is Martha Stewart's favorite perfume? The spines are soft in the womb but harden once they hit the air, as with the porcupine. ", To solve this mystery, scientists laced the mother with mildly radioactive amino acids. The best fathers contribute to the safety, well being, and healthy development of their young. Others simply show the particulars of a baby being born. Which animal is born alive by its mother? Still, giving birth can be difficult, especially if the baby is born breech (bottom first), Kerns said. And while human mothers certainly deserve all of the flowers and phone calls they get on Mother's Day, we dare say that there are other species where motherhood is an even more trying and/or terrifying ordeal. Their offspring emerge from this unusual birthing organ, almost indistinguishable from the male penis of the species, after 120 days of gestation. Each newborn weighs about 0.3 ounces (10 g), so a litter of two would weigh about twice that. However, the number of the litter grows over time. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. It includes discussion of the fundamental concepts of the experience of pain and factors . Pain during labor is caused by contractions of the muscles of the uterus and by pressure on the cervix. Anxious and clingy. Luckily, there's an upside to mom's large load. Getty Each stripe is one more infanticide. RankMammalDays1Elephant (African)6452Elephant (Asian)6173Whale (sperm)4805904Rhinoceros (black)4506 more rows, Mammals With Shortest Gestation Periods (less than a month). For example, in University of New Mexico researcher Leah Albers's 1999 study of 2,500 full-term births, labor lasted on average almost nine hours for first-time mothers. Wikipedia "Oh, so you want me to give birth and give a shit about the little brats? Do I need to bring my breast pump to hospital? In fact, this animal is more closely related to the elephant than to either of these animals. Whoever makes it there first and can hold on wins. So it's not surprising that when a baby blue whale is born, the. Without the lazy, good-for-nothing sperm donors, the species would die out. Females of this species give birth through a narrow, penis-like, enlarged clitoris. On land, elephants enjoy the first-place prize for birthing the . There are some women who have experienced pain free and . Does the Queen wear her outfits more than once? Video Explainer: Who Was Our Most Religious President? In Aesops fable The Hyenas, they change their sex each year. But researchers also discovered that males would eat more of the embryos of small or unattractive females. This unusually long period of development for a predator results in offspring that are comparatively large and fully ready to kill, with their sharp teeth completely emerged through the gums. In fact, about 15% of first-time mothers die giving birth. The baby hippo is the latest animal birth at Animal Kingdom this year. Between 1990 and 2015, maternal mortality dropped by about 44 percent worldwide, the WHO reported. Knowing and understanding normal labor and delivery, as well as proper pregnancy care, can help make the process go more smoothly and help you know what is normal and when it is time to get the veterinarian involved. First, calves weigh about 7 percent of their mother's weight, which is roughly the same proportion as a baby human to its mother. Contractions and more. Take the Tasmanian devil. But there is a strategy at play. These guys are born fully quilled. Photograph by Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images. How long will a Tesla battery last without driving? But there's a catch. How do you tell the difference between a model and a digital twin? Why is human birth so difficult compared to other animals? Thanks, mom. The second extreme factor comes from the place of the birth: a tree. Somebody left some eggs here! Naked mole rats (Heterocephalus glaber) are incredibly social mammals that live in colonies. Some feature voiceovers from doctors that walk viewers through the steps of delivery. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Scholastic, Popular Science and Spectrum, a site on autism research. Whatever their shape, size, or way of life, they all have some things in common. What animal has the most painful birth? Tell us in the comments. Shingleback lizards also have a tough pregnancy. Most nonhuman mammals tend to hide while giving birth, presumably to avoid attracting predators during their time of highest vulnerability. You can also check out his blog. Sharp, sudden, mildly alarming. With some animals, the baby has it pretty rough. She also reports on general science, including archaeology and paleontology. Moaning, screaming, and cursing. Yet, when you check out other extreme births in the animal kingdom the kiwi can consider itself lucky. But theyre sometimes not so fun for mom. So it's not surprising that when a baby blue whale is born, the calf itself is as big as some of the other largest animals on the planet. Luckily, elephants live in a matriarchal society and mamas have lots of help from other female relatives, who all pitch in with child-rearing. In May, guests got to witness Heidi the Hartmann's mountain zebra give birth to her. There may be as many as 20 eggs starting out in two uteri, and each will hatch and live peacefully inside the mother. But childbirth isn't just dangerous or uncomfortable for mothers. Steve Childs "Babies are like beers -- the uglier they are, the more of them you need to consume.". What is this? What's more, the hyena's birth canal is just an inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, and a 2-lb. Labor times for other animals tend to be much shorter than for humans. They get their training in animal badassery early, as their very first act of life is basically a Thunderdome death match that fewer than one in 10 will survive. Talk about sibling rivalry, huh? Marsupial babies are born in an embryonic state. Safest for the pregnant person and the baby. Pain rating: 1.2 There are around 300 species of fire ants ( Solenopsis sp.) A calf can stand up soon after birth and will begin to eat grass and vegetation after a couple of months, though it will continue to rely on its mother for nourishment for at least six months. around the world and many species are referred to as red ants. Getty In other words, being slutty saves lives. Is childbirth as painful for other animals? Females of this species give birth through a narrow, penis-like, enlarged clitoris. Here is why mothers on this earth deserve more than a thank you. This lamb was brought to the distressed ewe and she took to him as if her were her own. In Sweden, they send you a thank-you text when they use your blood. In June, a male Masai giraffe calf was born at the park. Even when it's not deadly, human birth can be extreme for the mother. Sometimes you may hear whining or yelping during contractions. Squirrel monkey infants have such large heads compared to the size of their mothers' pelvises that they face a very high rate of birth complications. Squirrel monkey infants have such large heads compared to the size of their mothers pelvises that they face a very high rate of birth complications. All they do is eat, mate and poop. You might think the biggest bundles of joy that arrive in the animal world belong to the largest animals. Lions are regal animals, and not just in a Disney's The Lion King sort of way, but they act calm no matter the situation and manage to look damn impressive doing it. The drop isnt too bad for baby giraffe calves who are about six and half feet tall at birth. She has won multiple awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association for her reporting at a weekly newspaper near Seattle. Animals have limited ways to express their feelings and my guess is that birth is painful for many animals, just like it is for many women. Therefore, the male must slide his rear under the female when mating so that his penis lines up with hers. The researchers argue that instead of fetal brain expansion being constrained by the dimensions of the pelvis, the dimensions of the human pelvis have evolved to accommodate babies, and some. But very quickly they will develop jaws, and teeth, and they will grow hungry. Several animals go to the extreme to give birth to their little ones. Poor Mom can die from these rips, as is evidenced by the high death rate among first-time hyena mothers, Live Science reported. Its not only painful. "The last one we had here [at the National Zoo], we watched him cling for dear life onto a branch while the umbilicus was coming off," Kerns said. The ultimate action-packed science and technology magazine bursting with exciting information about the universe, Subscribe today and save an extra 5% with checkout code 'LOVE5', Engaging articles, amazing illustrations & exclusive interviews, Issues delivered straight to your door or device. But a baby doesnt need to be big to be difficult. For human the soul is child of supreme soul. What are symptoms of timing chain Problems? But don't let their size fool you. Wikipedia Particularly nurse sharks, which just proves that science loves irony. After a gestation period of about 11 months, a foal is born with legs that are almost as long as an adult's. If you like to sneak around ranches so you can secretly watch horses have sex, you've probably noticed something: After a mare gets pregnant, she immediately starts engaging in promiscuous sex with everyone. The female passes the eggs to the male, who holds them in his belly until they grow up. If it poisons you, you will die in about 15 minutes.