What hurts the most in labor?

What hurts the most in labor varies for each person, but most people describe the peak of pain as during the transition phase and during crowning. Transition is when the cervix dilates from 7 to 10 centimeters, contractions become very strong, long, and close together with little break, causing intense cramping, back pain, nausea, shaking, and feeling overwhelmed. Then during pushing, the most painful moment for many is crowning, when the baby's head stretches the vaginal opening and perineum, causing an intense burning and stinging sensation often called the ring of fire. This stretching pain is sharp and hot. Other very painful aspects include back labor when baby is posterior causing severe lower back pain, and contractions themselves which feel like extremely strong menstrual cramps or intestinal cramps that wrap around the body. For some, afterpains as uterus contracts after birth and stitches for tears hurt a lot too. Pain perception is influenced by baby position, size, whether labor is induced, use of epidural, and emotional support. While crowning and transition are often rated most painful, labor is a series of pains rather than one single worst moment.