If the translation is "sense-object" then I would agree that it is a mental object. If the translation is "sensed object" then it may be an exterior object, which has been sensed by one of the sense-organs, one of which is the brain, the organ from which mind arises.Spiny: "sense-organ, sense-object and sense-consciousness"
The problem is that all that arises in mind is all that with which we truly come in contact. So, you are right, if we use only our senses, then all we can ever truly experience is contact no matter how an object is sensed. Even as scientific Instruments, such as scanners, meters and gauges are useful, all they give us is a comparison for the purpose of validation and verification. Yet, all the instruments really provide us with is not truly direct experience . We still have to "read" and "interpret" the results they provide. The same with photographic and audio equipment. The main advantage is the increase in velocity, capacity, and range, domain, wave-length, frequency, and amplitude of what can be detected beyond our own personal sense doors.
Now, all we need is for someone to invent a "pain detector" that could be used during birth and we could answer the question in your OP.