Production
Labor Pains began as a production under Capitol Films in June 2007. Due to budget issues regarding another film, Nailed, Millennium Films and Overnight Productions took over the project. Overnight's Rick Schwartz produced the film with Lati Grobman and Celine Rattray of Plum Pictures. It is the directorial debut of Lara Shapiro, who also wrote it alongside television writer Stacey Kramer (credited as Stacy in the film) with Lindsay Lohan in mind, who also ended up being the only actress she saw for the role. Both Shapiro and Kramer were pregnant, about a month apart, when they wrote the script. The script had originally been developed as a wide release film by Warner Bros., but when that option lapsed, Shapiro found other funding at smaller production companies before Lohan, who wasn't fazed by the idea of "low budget", came on board. Schwartz said production costs "were in line with what a place like ABC Family would spend on their original TV movies," adding that the film would ultimately be profitable. Filming began in Burbank, California, on June 9, 2008, and concluded on July 18, 2008. On September 3, 2008, a teaser trailer was released, listing the film as being in post-production.
Days before production began, it was officially announced Lohan had been cast in the lead role of the romantic comedy, after having recently pulled out of a number of projects, including All's Faire in Love, Poor Things and Manson Girls. Chris Parnell, Cheryl Hines, Luke Kirby, Kevin Covais and Janeane Garofalo were later announced as part of the cast. Connie Britton was initially slated to have a role in the film. Reportedly, only one insurance agency would take Lohan because of her personal struggles with addiction and probation status following two 2007 DUI arrests. The production drew intense attention from paparazzi, who were frequently present around the set due to the extensive media interest in Lohan. After production concluded, Shapiro expressed, "The stuff that you read about in the tabloids, I wasn't exposed to any of that. That was not my experience. Lindsay is such a natural. She's actually been working for so many years, it was more natural than you would think for her to segue into a more adult role. For me, it made my job a lot easier." Schwartz said: "I didn't know Lindsay before this, but we looked each other in the eye three months ago, and she has done everything I could have asked." Rattray added: "She has really impressed us with her work ethic. She is rehearsing every day with energy and focus. She is lovely to her co-stars and the crew." Hines, who had previously worked alongside Lohan in Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005), stated: "Habitually, Lindsay achieves what to do in the first take." In a promotional interview, Lohan revealed she was drawn to the project because it tells the story of a young woman caring for someone else while discovering love, offering an empowering perspective that she found unique, as she could not recall other similar films about a fake pregnancy.
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