Merciful 1/Merciful - Disc 1.iso/software/b/birds_&_bees/bird&bee's.dms/bird&bee's.adf/qa2.fem

Text File | 1986-06-21 | 14KB | 534 lines

2   Is it bad to touch my private
parts?

    No, it is natural to explore your
own body. You may touch your body any-
where you like, because it is your own
body. Touching your private parts is
something you should do alone, and not
allow others to do.


2   Is touching myself the same as
masturbating?

    Yes. Masturbating is the touching
or "playing with" one's own genitals.
It is a normal way to learn about one's
body. It can also be a way of giving
oneself pleasurable sensations (feel-
ings).


2   Isn't masturbating wrong? I've
heard a lot of bad things about people
who masturbate.

    Doctors, psychologists, and educa-
ted parents know that masturbation is
normal. It is something that should be
done privately and not all the time.
Unfortunately, some parents and reli-
gions teach us it is wrong.


2   Why do some people say that mastur-
bation is "dirty" and that bad things
happen to people who masturbate?

    Because masturbation should be a
private activity, it may make some peo-
ple uneasy when they see it. Some
adults may not realize that children
are still learning about their bodies
and that this is one way for them to do
this.


2   Do grownups masturbate?

    Absolutely, even many married peo-
ple masturbate sometimes.


2   Is it OK for other people to touch
my private parts?

    No, it is not OK for anyone but you
(or your doctor) to touch your private
parts. It is not right for anyone to
touch you anywhere unless you want them
to. Your body is your own.


2   Why would anyone else want to touch
my private parts?

    People often get pleasure from
touching other people's bodies. That is
OK if the other person likes it too
(like when your mom or dad hugs and
kisses you). Strangers, however, have
no right to touch or hold you like
that.


2   Is it a good idea to avoid
strangers?

    Yes. Always try to play around
other people. Never go for a walk or
ride with someone you don't know well.
Never take a present from someone you
don't know -- it could be a trick.


2   Will all strangers try to trick me
and do nasty things to me?

    No, not all strangers -- but if we
don't know someone, how do we know if
that person is good, or one of those
sick people who will try to harm us? It
is better to play it safe and avoid all
strangers.


2   What is puberty?

    Puberty is the time that your body
changes from child to adult. It lasts
several years (pretty much your teens),
and occurs at a rate that is determined
by the "blueprint" in your genes.


2   When will I reach puberty?

    There is no way of saying -- every-
body is different. Most girls begin
puberty around ages 9 - 15. Boys usual-
ly start maturing slightly later, beg-
inning in their early or mid teens.


2   How will I know if I've reached
puberty?

    You will notice many changes to
your body and your personality. The
most obvious will be your first period
(menstruation). It is not easy to go
from child to adult in only a few years
-- so this may be a difficult or awk-
ward time for you.

2   What changes will I notice during
puberty?

    You will notice your breasts start-
ing to grow. You will also start to
menstruate (have your period). Boys
will notice their voice cracking and
their penis and testicles growing. Both
sexes will grow more pubic hair.


2   When does puberty end?

    Most boys and girls continue to
mature throughout the teen years. By
the end of your teens your body will be
almost fully matured, but your mind and
personality should continue to develop
and change for your whole life.


2   When will I have my first period?

    This is a very individual thing. It
is determined by your genes. Most girls
in the United States have their first
period (called menarche) between the
ages of 9 and 15.


2   When will I stop having periods?

    Most women menstruate until they
are around 45 to 50 years old. When
their periods have stopped for about a
year, they are said to be having meno-
pause. Just like puberty, this happens
at different times for everyone.


2   How will I know when I get my first
period?

    The first sign that menstruation
has started will be a small spot of
blood on the panties. At that point it
is time to talk to an adult about sani-
tary napkins or mini pads.


2   What are sanitary napkins?

    Sanitary napkins are absorbent ma-
terials placed below the vagina to pre-
vent the menstrual blood from staining
the clothing. Mini pads and tampons
have a similar purpose.


2   What is a tampon?

    A tampon is an absorbent cloth tube
that is inserted in the vagina to pre-
vent the menstrual bleeding from stain-
ing the clothing. It is used instead of
a sanitary napkin or mini pad.


2   Can a tampon ever get lost in the
body?

    No, a tampon will not get lost. The
vagina leads into the uterus through a
very small opening called the cervix.
The cervix is so small that a tampon
cannot possibly go up into the uterus
or into the body cavity.


2   How old does a boy have to be be-
fore he can become a father?

    As soon as a boy starts to ejacu-
late, he is able to fertilize an egg.
This happens at puberty (early teens).
However, he is probably not emotionally
ready to make a baby.


2   What is intercourse?

    Intercourse (or sexual intercourse)
is the placing of the male penis in the
female vagina. This is the first step
in the reproduction process -- the
making of a baby.


2   Why do men and women have
intercourse?

    Intercourse is necessary for man-
kind to continue. All living things
need to reproduce and this is how the
human reproduction process begins.
Sometimes people will have intercourse
just because it makes them feel good.


2   Does sexual intercourse always
result in pregnancy?

    No. Most of the time the woman does
not have an egg (ovum) that is ready to
be fertilized. Only for a day or two
each month is she fertile. Also, all
sperm cells are not capable of reaching
and uniting with the ovum.


2   Do people ever have intercourse if
they don't want a baby?

    Yes. Many people enjoy the close-
ness. Many married adults have inter-
course to enhance and celebrate their
marriage. People who are not married
have sex too, but this can be very
dangerous because unwanted pregnancies
can occur, and in some cases sexual
diseases like AIDS may occur from
having sex. Some adults force people to
have sex with them (rape) or pay for it
(prostitution). Both these activities
are wrong.


2   Can people have intercourse without
having to worry about making a baby?

    Yes, but they must have some plan
to avoid pregnancy. This is called
birth control or contraception. Without
a birth control method, any girl who
has had her period can get pregnant.
You will learn more about birth control
when you are older.


2   Can I get pregnant before I start
having periods?

    Yes, but it is highly unlikely. The
egg is produced and released before
menstruation actually occurs. There-
fore, it is possible for you to get
pregnant between the first time you
ovulate and the first time you
menstruate.


2   Can a woman get pregnant after she
stops having periods?

    If she has not had a period for
about a year, she is no longer produc-
ing eggs. This is called menopause. If
she is young and not having her period,
she may already be pregnant, because
that will also stop her from producing
eggs.


2   How does a woman know if she is
pregnant?

    There is no way of knowing right
after intercourse. Most women start
suspecting they are pregnant if they
miss a period. (Pregnant women do not
produce eggs and therefore do not have
periods.) It is best to see a doctor.


2   Do pregnant women feel different?

    This is different for each woman.
At different times during the nine-
month pregnancy, women usually experi-
ence different feelings -- some of
which they like and some of which they
find unpleasant.


2   Can a pregnant woman tell if she
has a boy or girl inside?

    No. There is no way of choosing or
predicting what sex the baby will be.
The sex of the baby is determined by
which of the parents' chromosomes the
baby gets. Doctors now have ways of
"looking" inside and may be able to
tell the sex of the child.


2   Can a pregnant woman tell if she
has twins inside?

    No. Usually a doctor can tell, but
sometimes even doctors are not sure if
there are two babies in the uterus.


2   How do twins happen?

    Identical twins (the kind that look
alike) started out as one egg. Early in
the development it split (it could
split three ways to form triplets).
Fraternal twins don't necessarily look
like each other because they came from
different sperm and eggs.


2   How does the unborn baby breathe
when it is inside the mother's uterus?

    It doesn't have to breathe while in
the uterus (in fact, the lungs don't
develop until the end of the pregnan-
cy). The unborn baby (fetus) gets
everything it needs from the mother
through the umbilical cord.


2   How does the fetus know when it is
time to be born?

    From the time of conception (when
the sperm and egg meet) to the time of
birth is about nine months. It takes
that long for the baby to develop the
organs and abilities it will need to
live on its own.


2   Is it a surprise to the mother when
the baby comes out?

    The mother and her doctor have es-
timated about when the baby is "due."
The mother has been instructed that if
she feels certain muscle contractions,
her baby may be on the way. At that
point she will usually go to a
hospital.


2   Do mothers always go to hospitals
to have babies?

    In the United States most mothers
go to a hospital or birthing center. It
is important to go somewhere where
there are experienced people to help
with the delivery.


2   What does the doctor do during the
delivery?

    The doctor helps to make sure that
the baby comes out OK. It is fairly
common for the mother to need help in
delivering the baby. There is also the
possibility that the newborn will need
medical attention.


2   What does the nurse do at the
delivery?

    The nurse will assist the doctor,
particularly in cutting the umbilical
cord. The nurse will also cleanse the
baby which is born covered with liquids
and other remains from the womb.


2   What does the father do during the
birth (delivery)?

    There is nothing that the father
must do (he may not even be there).
Most fathers, however, want to help the
mother by offering support and encou-
ragement during the sometimes painful
delivery process.


2   Does intercourse result in pregnan-
cy only when the couple is planning to
have a baby?

    No. Fertilization (or conception)
occurs when a sperm unites with an egg.
This can happen any time an egg is
ready. Birth control (or contraception)
is used to decrease the chances of
having a baby.


2   How often is an egg ready to be
fertilized?

    Women normally produce one egg per
month. It is usually only able to be
fertilized for a day or two as it moves
from the ovary, through one of the two
Fallopian tubes, towards the uterus.


2   What happens if the egg gets fer-
tilized?

    It continues moving into the uterus
where it will find a safe home for the
next nine months. The womb, as the
uterus is also called, is designed to
protect and nourish the infant.


2   What happens if the egg does not
get fertilized?

    This is usually the case. (That is
why you see many more women who are not
pregnant than pregnant.) The unfertil-
ized egg is disposed of as part of the
monthly menses (period) which also in-
cludes the lining of the uterus.


2   What is contraception?

    There are many times that adults
wish to have intercourse without start-
ing a pregnancy. To reduce the chances
of pregnancy, they can use one of
several methods of contraception. This
is also called birth control or family
planning.


2   What are these contraceptive
methods?

    The most common are the condom
(commonly called a "rubber"),
diaphragm, IUD, and the pill. There are
also "natural" methods and steriliza-
tion operations. You will learn more
about these when you are older.


2   What is a homosexual?

    A homosexual is a person who
chooses to share sexual intimacy with a
person of the same sex. Homosexuals can
be women or men.


2   What is a heterosexual?

    A heterosexual is a person who
chooses to share sexual intimacy with a
person of the opposite sex.


2   Is it normal to think about sex?

    Yes, sex is a normal part of life,
and it is normal to think about it. But
if you think  about anything to the
point that it interferes with your res-
ponsibilities then you are thinking
about it too much.


2   Are love and sex the same thing?

    No. Love is the feeling and sex is
a behavior. Sex is one way for people
who love each other in a special way to
express their feelings. Not everyone
who loves each other has sex, and not
everyone who has sex loves each other.


2   Do men enjoy sex more than women?
\
    Not necessarily. Sexual pleasure is
an individual feeling. There is no
reason why women cannot enjoy their
sexuality as fully as many men do.
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