https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Thu, 18 Jun 2026 19:50:07 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable/page/2#post-2269932 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 14:39:49 +0000 jedeve 2269932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hmm. </p> <p>Empowering? Yes.<br /> Uncomfortable? Yes.<br /> Painful? Absolutely.<br /> Terrifying and overwhelming? At points.<br /> Intense, indescribable high afterwards? Yes.<br /> Most pain ever? Yes. </p> <p>It sounds weird but for me, the feeling of the baby actually sliding out (like, post getting the head out) was the most amazing feeling of success/relief/awesomeness/feel goodery ever. So maybe that's what people are referring to?</p> <p>But the actual contractions are going to hurt no matter what. Unless you get an epidural I suppose but mine failed, so I wouldn't know! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable/page/2#post-2269800 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 13:03:28 +0000 Astro Bee 2269800@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I fully transitioned without an epidural because dilated so quickly, but once I received the epidural I found it to be quite pleasant. For one, the relief from the pain was acute, and I felt so powerful and strong through the next six hours (2 waiting for DS to descend a little more, 4 pushing). I think there may have been some pain on the final push/vacuum assist, and I know there was pushing the placenta out, but I was really upbeat and ecstatically happy throughout. Which is why I was allowed to keep pushing without additional intervention until DS's heartbeat started to drop a bit. It definitely was in no way orgasmic, however. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable/page/2#post-2269778 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 12:44:56 +0000 JenGirl 2269778@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Eh. There are plenty of women out there who say labor was pleasurable or painless or that they had an orgasm during it and I doubt they're lying, so I'd say it's possible. But I think those are the exceptions, not the rule. I agree that expecting that is setting yourself up for a rude awakening. On the other hand, expecting that it's going to be horrible can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. So I think it's best to go in with as open a mind as possible. At least, that's what I'm trying to do. We'll see how it goes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2269671 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 11:30:37 +0000 HabesBabe 2269671@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Pleasurable, like... peeling off a dried scab. But not orgasmic-level pleasure. And this scab-happy feeling came with an epidural :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2269102 Thu, 20 Aug 2015 20:33:18 +0000 ScarletBegonia 2269102@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My epidural felt like heroin. I could have taken on the world once they took away the pain. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2269001 Thu, 20 Aug 2015 18:59:44 +0000 Tidybee 2269001@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My second labor was actually somewhat pleasurable! I labored for exactly 2 hours and my contractions weren't that strong or intense. I got the epidural early because I was warned that I wouldn't be able to get to te anesthesiologist so easily if I waited. I got the best epidural ever, watched 4 episodes of parenthood and then pushed dd out in 2 painless pushes after feeling a but of rectal pressure.<br /> It was far from orgasmic but it was the most comfortable labor and delivery I could ever imagine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2268894 Thu, 20 Aug 2015 16:55:38 +0000 gracecat 2268894@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've never personally heard of anyone say that it was pleasurable. Maybe tolerable but not pleasurable. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267730 Thu, 20 Aug 2015 00:36:10 +0000 LovelyPlum 2267730@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Autocorrect made my last post non-sensical...</p> <p>Like @avivoca: I felt great after the placenta came out. Nothing else came even close to feeling pleasurable. I have a hard enough time with feeling pleasure in the best of times. I can't imagine that labor could do anything to help in that department. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267722 Thu, 20 Aug 2015 00:08:05 +0000 sera_87 2267722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sure. After they gave me pain meds. :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267634 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 21:50:45 +0000 sarac 2267634@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>People say that they enjoy it, and I believe them. Personally I found it to be the most painful thing I've ever experienced, and I didn't even have the big endorphin rush afterwards. I just climbed out of the tub thinking 'what the hell just happened'. The feeling lasted for most of the day. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267606 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 21:12:24 +0000 LovelyPlum 2267606@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <br /><p><i>This comment has been deleted by the original poster.</i></p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267600 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 21:01:58 +0000 lovehoneybee 2267600@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There was a book of birth stories from...The Farm, I think? It was like 8 years ago, so it's a little hazy. Anyway, several of the birth stories included orgasms (and I'm pretty sure they were stoned during labor, too...). </p> <p>But for me...long back labor, exhausted, epidurals failing, pushing for 2 hours, vomiting the whole time...no, not even a little bit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267599 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 20:59:17 +0000 avivoca 2267599@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Parts of it were pleasurable. Finding out I made it to 5 cms was great. Laboring on my back felt amazing (I walked for 10 hours prior). Delivering my placenta felt absolutely awesome, and the post birth high is so real. But the rest sucked. A lot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267598 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 20:59:15 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 2267598@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Rainbow Sprinkles: yes! Honestly, at 4 months pp I still feel a little high when I think about it.</p> <p>i wouldn't call it pleasurable. As a matter of fact, I also generally feel like vomiting when I imagine doing it again. No pleasure there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267440 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 18:12:14 +0000 Bao 2267440@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope, never. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267424 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 17:46:09 +0000 Freckles 2267424@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No. Just no. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267423 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 17:44:18 +0000 maddyz 2267423@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It was hard work, and a huge task for my body to handle but I knew I could do it and the pain was so clearly connected to something natural, safe and amazing I wasn't worried about it. Not being worried about pain is such a different way to experience it. Pain with out fear was totally manageable. It wasn't pleasurable but it was exactly what I wanted/needed to be doing and that felt just right.</p> <p>When I tore, that was hard, it was hard to let that happen and know it would be OK. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267421 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 17:38:49 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 2267421@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Perhaps if you're a masochist? Otherwise nope. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267408 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 17:14:21 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2267408@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>By the time I got an epidural I had been in labor for a long time and I wouldn't call it pleasurable but I felt ok, had no problems pushing. But I just don't see how it could be called pleasurable. Exciting, thrilling, full of anticipation, sure. But pleasurable??? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267405 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 17:12:06 +0000 Ra 2267405@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope. Nope. Nope. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267382 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 16:45:16 +0000 blackbird 2267382@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p> [attach=618/15/ntcn3g.487x600.image.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267360 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 16:10:21 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 2267360@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>yeah... no. I mean, I was fine once I got an epidural </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267344 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 15:51:09 +0000 Alivoo01 2267344@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Y'all are going to hate me... I had an epidural and it made my labor super easy. I slept on and off and didn't feel anything until transition (some slight discomfort, but tolerable). I pushed DS out on my 3rd set and I was able to feel/use my legs after like 2-3 hours. No lasting effects from the epidural.</p> <p>DS really set the bar high on his pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum care for me so I'm hoping #2 is taking notes because I'd love to replicate it just as is. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267327 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 15:41:54 +0000 jh524 2267327@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Lol. Funny! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267323 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 15:40:06 +0000 Mrs Green Grass 2267323@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Even with an epidural I couldn't say it was even slightly pleasurable. I felt a huge release of pain right afterwards, but that didn't make up for the (weeks) of horribleness. And I only gave birth to a 2lb baby! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267306 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 15:20:04 +0000 Mama Bird 2267306@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There were definitely some fun and funny moments that will stick in my memory. And I had a great support team. And of course meeting the baby at the end! So definitely pleasurable in that sense. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267305 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 15:19:27 +0000 ineebee 2267305@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I felt AWESOME after the epidural kicked in! Granted, I had a relatively easy delivery. And holding him skin-to-skin was pretty euphoric. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267288 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 15:01:09 +0000 simplyfelicity 2267288@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Ummm...haha...no. It was exhilarating at first but, by hour 32, I was pretty over it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267283 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 14:56:38 +0000 LAZB 2267283@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I really enjoy giving birth, but I know I'm crazy. By no means would I say it isn't painful (I'm a big fan of the epidural!), but it is such a unique experience, and I've had two uncomplicated births, and have found them to be awesome experiences. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/can-labor-be-pleasurable#post-2267278 Wed, 19 Aug 2015 14:51:30 +0000 winniebee 2267278@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not even after an epidural. The nausea and pushing was still uncomfortable. So....never! </p>