I would suggest freezing chilli, soups and casseroles. The sort of home cooking that takes hours but always makes you feel heaps better.

I'm sorry you are worried about the birth. As I said I have never recovered from a CS so cannot directly compare, but all I ever needed after my vaginal births was panadol and my sister needed morphine after her CS so I guess that says a fair bit about the recovery!

For the birth itself it really is not that bad. The more relaxed you are, the easier it is, and any pain you might feel is not pain like a cut or broken leg. It is pain you can work with and dance with.

As for the bleeding post birth, I believe it is similar regardless of the mode of delivery so if pads were ok for you before they will probably be ok again. I used thick pads for their cushioning effect though for the first few days which made sitting down a little more comfortable.