Welcome to BB

You sound like you are off to a great start, not only with researching your birthing options but also with keeping fit and eating well. As you say this will help your recovery regardless of the mode of birth. You are able to elect to have a CS in the public system but you would need to demonstrate a reason for this. Medical reasons are considered but so is a psychological fear of vaginal birth. This is something you need to talk through with your midwife/OB but I'm sure they will take you through all the options.

The other choice is to go private and just pay for it upfront, but the costs associated with a CS can be quite massive, and these may be additional costs if your baby needs special care after birth or if you have complications post surgery. Have a look around the forum and chat to other mums who have also been scared of birth. There are also lots of birth stories here detailing the good, bad and ugly of vaginal birth and CS which you might find helpful.

Trav
xx