birth pangs
Delivery's painful waves
Birth pangs are the sharp, rhythmic pains of labor contractions during childbirth.
Figuratively, birth pangs describe the difficult early stages of any new beginning—the struggles that accompany emergence: the birth pangs of democracy, the birth pangs of a new era.
The metaphor emphasizes that creation involves suffering.
Shortened word forms
- dilationWidening of an opening
- laborStrenuous effort; also childbirth
- deliveryConveyance of goods
- midwifeChildbirth assistance professional
epidural · cervix · effacement · pushing · obstetrics · parturition · maternity · cesarean
Suffering from difficult circumstances
- adversitySevere difficulty or suffering
- trialJudicial examination of claims
- tribulationState of great distress
- ordealDifficult, painful experience
growing pains · travail · suffering · difficulty · turmoil · upheaval · transformation · transition
Point of creation
- inceptionFounding moment
- beginningInitial stage of something
- dawnDay's first glow
- outsetInitial point of something
creation · foundation · nascent · threshold · unfolding · origination · inauguration · infancy
contractions
Shortened word forms
midwife · epidural · cervix · effacement · pushing · obstetrics · parturition · maternity · cesarean · newborn
hardship
Suffering from difficult circumstances
- adversitySevere difficulty or suffering
- trialJudicial examination of claims
- tribulationState of great distress
ordeal · growing pains · travail · suffering · difficulty · turmoil · upheaval · transformation · transition · breakthrough
genesis
Point of creation
outset · creation · foundation · nascent · threshold · unfolding · origination · inauguration · infancy · rise
- End Timesapocalypse, Armageddon, rapture, end times, tribulation
- laborlabor, labor union, work, labor force, laborers
- beginningsbegin, beginning, start, first, opening
- sufferingagony, anguish, misery, pain, torment
birth pangsrelief
Easing of distress
comfort · ease · painlessness · pleasure · bliss
birth pangsdeath throes
Final moments of dying
dying breath · last gasp · death rattle · final moments · passing
birth pangssmooth sailing
Untroubled progress forward
homestretch · coasting · culmination · fruition · denouement
birth, birthday, pang, childbirth, birthing, birthright, birthplace, unbirthday, birthstone