Childbirth is one of the most painful experiences that a woman can go through in her life. It’s a pain that men don’t have the chance to experience, and never will. This gender discrepancy can easily create some resentment and animosity in relationships during pregnancy.
However, one hospital in China is trying to level the playing field by offering fathers to be the opportunity to experience what childbirth actually feels like.
Expectant fathers can enroll in the “Pain Experience Camp” at the Aima maternity hospital in eastern China for a chance to feel the pain of childbirth.
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Hospital officials say they created the Pain Experience Camp in response to expectant mothers complaining about a lack of empathy from their partners. Since the camp opened in November, over 300 men have signed up. The hospital even opened up a second Pain Experience Camp at a local shopping mall.
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Part of the lack of empathy with a pregnant partner in China is cultural. Compared to America and Europe, Chinese men have traditionally played a much smaller role in the pregnancy process.
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To simulate the pain of birth, nurses hook up special pads to men’s stomachs, only to then administer electric shocks. The shocks start at 1 then go all the way up to 10 on the pain scale.
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A typical session at the Pain Experience Camp only lasts about 5 minutes. This is why nurses say that it still doesn’t come close to the actual experience of childbirth, which can take hours.
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Despite this difference, women whose partners go through the Pain Experience Camp report that they are much more empathetic afterwards.
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Check out the Pain Experience Camp in action.
(via Wall Street Journal)
Now this is what I call taking gender equality to a whole new level. Maybe they should bring the Pain Experience Camp over to America. I feel like it would be a big hit over here.
