[From TVNZ, where the story includes the 1:01 minute video mentioned. A 10:25 minute BBC News interview and discussion is available on YouTube, and links to stories about other recent labour simulations can be found at The Huffington Post.]

Screaming man lasts just two hours in labour simulator

Published: Friday June 28, 2013 Source: ONE News

It’s often a sticking point in the battle of the sexes – is the pain of child birth the most agonising experience a person can go through, and could any man actually endure it?

Well now one guy has decided to take one for the team, and test out a labour simulator at The Birth Hotel at Geboorte Centrum, a private maternity hospital in Amsterdam.

Henry McKean, 34, an Irish radio presenter, lasted just over two hours strapped to the birth simulator – a period which many women would consider a quick labour.

The ‘contractions’ gradually increased from seven minutes until they were constant.

At first Mr McKean described the pain as like “hundreds of electric toothbrushes in your stomach going off a once”.

But as the intensity of the contractions increased Henry said “the pain was shooting from my chest right down into my testicles. I didn’t think it was ever going to end”.

Eventually he was bent over in pain, and shouting abuse at his ‘birthing partner’ Hayley O’Connor.

The experiment, in which he was attached to a number of electrodes which simulated labour pains, was filmed and photographed for the radio station, with Mr McKean talking about his experience.

He seemed in a philosophical mood however, saying it had made him clucky.

“It made me broody and appreciate what women do and appreciate babies,” he said. “I feel I know what life is all about.”

Other men who have tested the machine have lasted just two hours before calling it quits. Mr McKean said he was pleased he managed to break that and hit two hours 15 minutes.

“It was painful, really, really tough,” he said. “I broke my leg 20 years ago and it was like that.”

He described himself afterwards as “exhausted and a little delirious”, but paid tribute to the women of the world.

“I think I understand women much better now. They are amazing,” he conceded.

He also admitted that the video of him screaming in pain in multi-coloured pyjama bottoms, and ripping his t-shirt off because he’s too warm, was “humiliating”.

But it’s not likely to be an experience that’s easily forgotten, with Mr McKean saying he was still feeling “phantom pains”.