The physiological process of labour and birth and how a woman experiences her pain is very subjective and uniquely individual. Each woman's understanding and perception of her pain is hers alone.
For many women the pain of labour is hard but manageable. They may have used various natural methods of pain relief, relied on their body's own inbuilt 'control systems' and mental determination, as well the support from their partner or caregiver(s). Perhaps these, in combination with utilising their specific personal coping strategies, made their labour a positive experience, although admittedly painful and difficult to deal with at the time.
For other women the labour pain becomes all consuming and overwhelming. Perhaps concerns about the pain before the labour made them feel anxious, as the contractions began or the labour ended up being long or complicated, or was induced. Perhaps the labour was nothing that the woman had anticipated or expected. Or the woman had no interest in experiencing labour pain at all, seeing it as an unnecessary experience to be avoided if possible.
A few women will find the pain of their labour easier than expected. It may be that they are surprised at how well they tolerated the labour. The pain may be described as very tolerable or merely uncomfortable. Occasionally a woman will relate to her labour as being 'virtually painless' and in rare cases 'orgasmic' and pleasurable. All the latter experiences are possible, but are usually the exceptions to the 'physiological rules'.
There are many internal and external factors that can influence how a woman: