I often hear that you often forget the pains of labor, so it makes it easier to put yourself through it again. 
Did you actually forget the pains? If you did, how long after giving birth did you forget?
I definitely haven't forgotten, but I can totally see how someone could. There's just something about the thought of sweet newborn baby snuggles. 
honeydew / 7235 posts
I can barely remember tbh. I recall there being pain and laboring, pushing was exhausting and hard, but it really is a blur and I can't remember the labor pains! My son is 2.5. I guess it will come back when I go into labor again with #2!
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
I did- like before I left the hospital! I remember that it hurt, a lot, but I cannot actually remember what the later contractions felt like. Vague memory of the ring of fire. It's really bizarre since I know it was the worst pain I've ever been in in my life (but I'm pretty lucky that I've never had a serious injury). I had a med free birth with a vacuum assist. There was pain.
pomelo / 5258 posts
I'm 4 weeks pp with #2 and I can't recollect exactly what it felt like. When I was in labor with #2 I distinctly remember thinking, "Oh yeah, this is back labor. I remember this." However, I can't conjure it in my mind.
Even hours after my long unmedicated labor with LO1 I told DH that getting the IV removed & its adhesive ripped off was the worst pain of the experience. Logically I know that isn't true. Labor is definitely the worst pain I've experienced. To this day I can remember that IV feeling exactly and I can't say the same for labor.
pear / 1599 posts
Yes I have forgotten. I remember being in so much pain I could not stand it but at the same time I cant remember how bad it felt in reality.
persimmon / 1188 posts
I don't remember what it felt like but I remember being in a lot of pain!
apricot / 409 posts
Yup the pain kind of faded gradually. For the first few months I thought NO WAY can I go through childbirth again. But by 10 months postpartum, I was kind of thinking oh maybe I can do this again and now 14 months PP I'd love to have another baby. Its weird, I remember being in so much pain giving birth i couldnt see straight and the ring of fire, but somehow it doesnt seem so bad anymore.
eggplant / 11716 posts
I feel like I remember exactly. I also remembered how horrible the nausea was in my pregnancy and sure enough, it was exactly as bad as I remembered.
apricot / 477 posts
LO is 6 months old, I don't actually remember being in pain at all but I do recall the horrific recovery I had.
I don't think I'll ever forget that.
clementine / 770 posts
It faded pretty quickly for me. But I had an epidural so I probably skipped out on the worst of it!
grapefruit / 4321 posts
Yes. Even though I'm a second time mom I still worry I won't know when labor has started because I can't picture exactly what the contractions felt like.
nectarine / 2521 posts
I remember. And it sucked. The only saving grace is that I remember the pain immediately stopped when LO came out!
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@Anagram: I had also forgotten how crappy the first trimester felt. Like I remembered that I felt terrible but couldn't recall the exact feelings. As soon as it hit the second time around I was like, oh, yup, now I remember. I imagine labor will be the same thing.
I do remember the nausea better now having been through it twice.
cantaloupe / 6692 posts
I didn't have much pain during labor (my induction failed and honestly I don't think I was truly laboring the whole time) but the cervical checks, the internal monitor placement, and the c-section recovery were the most painful and traumatizing experiences I've ever had.
But now, thinking back, I'm like meh. It wasn't so bad! I must have forgotten lol.
grapefruit / 4988 posts
I must have forgotten because I distinctly remember thinking over and over to myself "I never want to go through this again" and yet now we are getting ready to TTC #2!
papaya / 10343 posts
I remember THAT I was in pain but I can't like, feel that pain in my head. If that makes sense.
honeydew / 7303 posts
It was the most painful thing I have every experienced and I've almost forgotten it now! So weird how that works
pear / 1503 posts
I remember that I was nauseous all through the second tri, and hat terrible food aversions, and I know that the pain was unbearable (and then I got an epidural), but the details of how bad it was and how it felt escape me now. 3 months pp, and I kind of already want another really soon. So crazy!
pear / 1632 posts
I remember very clearly how horrible it was. That's why i won't even attempt a vbac. I'm going straight for the C Section... I wouldn't even consider having another child if I had to try a v delivery again! It's been 2 years but I swear I'll never forget what that day felt like. Maybe someday though...
pomegranate / 3768 posts
I did forget until I gave birth to DD2 a few days ago. Holy crap was it horribly painful.
pomegranate / 3658 posts
Stupid hormones, I could notice my memories getting blacked out very quickly in the weeks after. I only have any memories at all because I told the story so many times in the early days, so I created memories-of-memories. I definitely know it was traumatic and painful beyond anything I had experienced.
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
@dolphin: congrats!!
It's been 2.5 years and I haven't forgotten.
GOLD / eggplant / 11517 posts
Nope, haven't forgotten, and don't plan on any more kids for that reason among a few others. My labor was not ideal.
pomelo / 5607 posts
2 weeks postpartum and I can remember how bizarre it felt when she actually came out, but not the pain really. And it was really intense, so I know it was bad, but it's just blurry now. And for what it's worth, you don't have to have the newborn snuggles to forget; my last pregnancy didn't end with a live baby, and I eventually forgot the pain. It just took a lot longer. (Though there were other aspects of that labor that made it more traumatic, so those things probably factored into it.)
pineapple / 12053 posts
hm.... not forgotten, but dulled. but also when asked what was the most difficult thing you've ever done, i answered recovering from my tonsillectomy. that was the worst 2 weeks of pain! since my labor and delivery was less than 7 hours, i think it was easier to get through. if i could guarantee that this l&d was going to be exactly the same, i would be thrilled. but i'm scared of it happening faster and more intense than last time!
bananas / 9118 posts
With my first, yes, totally forgotten. Not my second though, still burned on my memory 16 months later.
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
It's the worst pain I've ever felt in my life but it's a dulled memory at this point and I'm so afraid I won't know that I'm in active labor this time!
persimmon / 1328 posts
I remember thinking it was beyond anything I could have imagined and genuinely believing I would die from the pain - but I can no longer remember what that physically felt like. I think for me it was made a lot harder to deal with because I felt like it would never ever end. I hope that next time the fact that I have proof that it will end, and I will survive it will make it a little easier psychologically!
coconut / 8861 posts
I sort of forgot what contractions felt like. I remembered that they tended to be lower belly and thighs for me. With my second labor & delivery, my contractions came on really fast, so the pain felt intense this time around. If anything, I forget the pressure near the end as they were being born. With DS #2, he was putting so much pressure down there, that my epidural didn't really do much near the end.
pomegranate / 3601 posts
Yes totally. I don't even remember how contractions felt like and I have had 2 unmediated births so...
It took me a while to forget with LO1 - around 3 months I think. With LO2 it was basically wiped from my brain by the time I left the hospital. What I vividly remember with her though are the contractions after having given birth (the uterus shrinking).
grapefruit / 4291 posts
My little guy is three months old and although labouring with only gas was very unpleasant, I would, hands down, do it again!
grape / 99 posts
@Boogs: LO is 4 months and I am already willing to go through it again! I did a pain-med free hospital birth. While i remember the pain and exhaustion from pushing, I find myself thinking "OK, it wasn't SO bad!". I'm sure i will eat my words when the time comes again!
pomegranate / 3355 posts
I remember thinking I couldn't do it.. but that wasn't pain related, that was related to pushing. I do remember the ring of fire and that it hurt so bad, but I can't really conjure the feeling. I remember screaming and making some sort of animalistic sound and then it was over.
pomegranate / 3350 posts
I remember! The pain was so awful with my first (back labor and Pitocin) that with my second it was not too bad comparatively until almost the end and then it was horrific. If there is a next one I need to remember to get to the hospital earlier so I can get the epidural.
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