Most mothers find child birth 'frightening', a
                 survey shows, although they enjoy motherhood
                 and prefer to look after baby themselves

                 By ALFRED LEE
                 IN LONDON

                 INSTEAD of it being a wonderful experience, 75 per
                 cent of British mothers found giving birth "frightening",
                 according to a survey.

                 About 70 per cent said labour was more painful than
                 they had expected.

                 Only 7 per cent had a totally natural birth.

                 A quarter had a Caesarean and 72 per cent resorted
                 to air and gas for pain relief.

                 But in most cases, their partners were at their side in
                 the delivery room to give them support and comfort.
                 The survey shows that nine out of 10 partners were in
                 at the birth.

                 One per cent of them fainted, however, 7 per cent felt
                 sick and 11 per cent had to go out for air.

                 Later, two-thirds of the dads changed nappies and 41
                 per cent got up during the night to comfort the crying
                 baby.

                 But on the downside, three-quarters of the women
                 interviewed said their sex life had deteriorated
                 because of time and stress at having to look after a
                 crying new baby.

                 The Birth and Motherhood Survey 2000 was carried
                 out for the best-selling magazine Mother And Baby
                 and the private health-care organisation Bupa.

                 Executive editor of the magazine, mother of two
                 Stephanie Neuman told The Straits Times: "It is sad
                 that so many women are frightened during labour.

                 "Giving birth should be the most wonderful experience
                 a woman can have.

                 "Perhaps one of the reasons for the fear is that
                 midwifery units are so overstretched and proper,
                 personal attention to expectant women is not
                 available."

                 The survey showed that 30 per cent of the 2,000 new
                 mothers interviewed did not plan their pregnancy.

                 Sixty-one per cent did not want to know the sex of
                 their child before birth and there was a sizeable
                 preference for a girl -- 62 per cent.

                 The poll showed 62 per cent of the new mothers
                 going back to work but an overwhelming 84 per cent
                 of these women would prefer to stay at home and be
                 with their baby, if they could afford to.

                 Nearly half of all working mothers depended on their
                 parents or parents-in-law to look after the baby.

                 A quarter paid to send their baby to a nursery, a fifth
                 had a professional child-minder and just 2 per cent
                 employed a nanny.

                 Bupa's Dr Paula Franklin said: "The survey shows the
                 need for firms in an area to group together to provide
                 a free communal nursery for the babies of
                 employees."

                 Only 5 per cent of the women interviewed said that
                 they would want to have a baby at 45 -- the age
                 Prime Minister Tony Blair's wife Cherie will be when
                 she gives birth to her fourth child next month.

                 The survey ends on a high note: 90 per cent of the
                 new mums said motherhood made them happier and
                 99 per cent felt a sense of pride and achievement.

                       Adapted from The Straits Times, 8 Apr 2000.