WHICH BIRTH SHOULD I CHOOSE?

Q:I’m expecting my first child and am finding it extremely difficult to decide whether natural birth should be the route to take. I’m not concerned about labour itself, but rather the after effects natural birth would have on the muscle and in particular the size of the vagina. Another concern is that the process would have a negative impact on one’s libido. At this stage I’m leaning more towards having a C-section, however this is a major operation and I’m not sure whether it’s worth going through, especially since longer healing time is required.

A:Tina answers: A woman has been designed to give birth vaginally and in reality about 15 percent of women will need assistance in the form of a caesarean. If you have no complications and you prepare yourself physically and learn how to work with your body, vaginal birth is the best way to deliver your baby. Doing pelvic floor exercises before and after delivery is imperative in getting the tone and strength back into the perineal area. The birth itself should not have a negative impact on your libido (although coping with the challenges of being a new mom may!). Natural birth is the most spectacular, amazing event, and you should not be deprived of the experience due to misinformation. I urge you to attend childbirth education classes and get more information before making a final decision.