Read back, fiona, I just edited the third para - I hope it helps.

And mental health is absolutely a valid reason. Your emotional health is just as important to your total wellbeing as physical health. Which is why the whole "empowered birth" notion came about, I think. My surgeon asked how I was travelling at the 6 week mark, and when I told him what an enormous difference having the CS had made to me, he commented that women who request CS usually rate their experience much more highly than women who have had elective (but not requested) CS. I think that's where the empowerment factor comes in.

Plus - this might help with your imagining each option - after they gave me the epidural (which I was the biggest scaredy cat over) it was the biggest Aaaaaah moment - being the first time in 6 or so months I was completely pain free it was BLISS!!!