I was terrified too before having my first, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. The post partum period was actually way worse than labor itself. If it’s the pain you’re afraid of, epidurals are pretty effective! They don’t work for everyone, but it worked for me. I had it early, so I never really had contractions and the pushing part was just like pooping. A c-section is going to be more painful recovery-wise, but if it’s planned you have no pain during the birth itself. I am not afraid of the birthing process with my second, but I had severe pre-eclampsia and am afraid of developing it again. I won’t go into details, but make sure that you monitor your blood pressure and let your Dr know ASAP if you have any concerns