Ange I just wanna say try to have more faith in your body hun! Just becasue you tore so badly with your first doesn't mean you will tear again. For example my first vaginal birth was a 6lb7oz girl and i tore all the way up and all the way down and out both sides and through the inner flap (sorry no technical name coming forth in my mind) and they needed 3 boxes of the stitching thread! My next bub was 7lb8oz not one tear! The only thing i did differently was to listen to my midwife! I panted when she said to pant and psuhed when she said so and if she said little push thats what i did! Sometimes that can make all the difference in the world. Also if you are really worried about teraring try doing some pirenial(bad sp) massage with some oils. I have since given birth to a 8lb6oz (that was my biggest to date) and still no tearing or grazing! So please don't let the fact that you tore badly last time have any bearing on what may happen this time.

Good Luck
Kat