For me pregnancy and childbirth was quite traumatic. While I was pregnant I was always sick, I was scared, uncertain of being a mother, I had sciatic nerve pain when I was only a couple weeks along, eventually I ended up in PT. I went into labor on a Friday and at that point it wasn't terrible, it felt like bad cramps. It grew and grew until I finally went to the hospital Saturday afternoon, about 24 hours after going into labor. Everything hurt, not just my stomach. It hurt so much I couldn't stop throwing up. The hospital said I was too exhausted to progress so they gave me some drugs to help me sleep (I fell asleep for about a minute at a time between contractions) and sent me home. After a few hours I made my husband bring me back to the hospital that night and I when they spoke of sending me back home I refused to go. My son was born at 9:35 Sunday morning. I remember telling them, "You're going to have to kill me". I took drugs but they wore off before he was born. My whole body hurt while in labor and when he was born after just 25 minutes of pushing time they were amazed I got him out so quickly. I had total PTSD, waking up with nightmares I was pregnant/in labor for a year or so later, then I had two more boys and wouldn't change any of it.

My point isn't to scare you, but to say it is worth it. Labor is different for different people. I hear it's not bad if you get an epidural. For me my kids are worth it.

For you, well, if you don't want a baby, that's OK. There's nothing wrong with not having a baby if that's not what you want. Heck, the world could use a few less babies, but if you do get pregnant, you'll survive. I know some really wimpy people who've had babies, some had multiple pregnancies. We do it because it's worth it.

Oh, and yes, a fetus is a parasite by medical definition, but I love my little parasites.