Which delivery is more painful?

While contractions and labor are certainly painful, the pain is usually short-lived and disappears soon after birth. Recovery from a vaginal birth is quick, and some mothers spend barely more than 24 hours in the hospital. Some associated soreness in the perineal area can last several days and up to two weeks.  Some vaginal births can cause tearing of tissues around the vaginal area and may require stitches. In this case, additional pain may be present during the first days and week after birth.   

A C-Section is painless at the time due to numbing anesthesia, but leaves a surgical incision that requires a healing period, and will be painful for a few weeks. The C-section is usually considered the more painful of the two types of birth. C-sections also carry an increased risk of infection at the surgical site.