Note: This story mentions sexual assault.
While sex can be a pleasurable experience, it can also be an anxiety-inducing one for a myriad of reasons. So when Reddit user u/stripawayunnecessary asked r/AskWomen: "What is something a sexual partner has said to you in bed that has eased your anxiety?" I thought it would be helpful to share some of these women's experiences. Here's what they had to say.
1. "My husband has said so many wonderful things over the years, but the first time we had PIV (penis-in-vagina sex) after our son was born, and I was afraid it would be painful — I had a VERY difficult birth with a 10-pound baby — he said, 'The minute anything isn’t comfortable, I’ll stop. Slow and easy, slow and easy. There is no rush.' And I swear my worries just evaporated and it was so tender and sweet and lovely. This man, if I could clone him, would make me a billionaire! He’s just amazing!"
2. "I have these stretch marks that arch over my hips, and he rubbed his thumb over them and said, 'I like your strips.' I never really had a problem with them before but I found them beautiful after that."
"I (23f) have a ton of stretch marks all over my thighs, hips, back, and chest. (Puberty hit me like a ton of bricks. lol) My partner (23m) said I look like a Greek statue made of veined marble. I didn’t know if I was gonna cry or have an orgasm."