Labor and delivery curiosity!

[anyakitty.livejournal.com]

Okay, I have always been SO curious about the nitty gritty details of labor and delivery. I am fascinated by those shows that come on TLC sometimes depicting natural and home births. I don't ever plan on having children but I just simply must know:

1. Is it really as bad as it is in the movies? Do people really scream/go crazy from the pain? Can you compare contractions to menstrual cramps to give me an idea of how much worse they are?

2. This is the big one... do a lot of women tear? How does THAT feel? Do they stitch you up or do you have to just let it heal or does it just simply depend?

3. After you give birth vaginally, is your vagina really never the same ever again? Is this only a physical, inside thing but also a visual, outside thing?

Please, don't spare me any details, I want it all no matter how questionable. It's either this or asking my boyfriend's sister who is pregnant for the second time and I'd rather not, haha. Thanks in advance!

Comments

[atalanta0jess.livejournal.com]

Here's an interesting tidbit no one has mentioned, with regards to tearing. I have read (never been pregnant! But I read a lot of blogs. ;) ) that medically speaking, it is better to tear than to have them cut you (give you an episiotomy) - the reason for this is that tears actually heal more easily, because of their rough edges. Also, a cut is more likely to "run" (like if you cut your stockings!) whereas a rip is less likely to tear as far.

[real-bethy.livejournal.com]

That's true!

[asunlitrose.livejournal.com]

Yes. This. Lots of times episiotomies are performed to make it easier for the medical professional to get the baby out, not necessarily to help the mom.

Take a piece of thick paper and rip it. Now cut it a tiny bit and rip it. Which made it easier to rip?