That’s exactly the issue though OP. You’ve read so many horror stories because a smooth sailing, normal birth experience is ‘boring’ nobody posts their birth story unless it’s asked for or traumatic.
I was exactly the same as you, terrified myself by reading other people experiences online. It was the worst thing I ever did. I was scared of the experience, the spinal, the first poo afterwards and general recovery.
My first section I was so terrified of moving with my stitches because I read if people who had ‘popped stitches open’ - that I basically led on the sofa for 6 weeks and didn’t move. Slept downstairs ect. - I was sore for ages because I didn’t move enough. I’m taking the whole 6 weeks.
also the first poo, I cried when I realised I needed to go to the toilet and I called my mum to hold my hand 🤣 did the poo and it was ability nothing like what people talked about online. It was quite a normal experience with an added ache in my tummy like I’d done a few too many sit ups.
section c section I decided I wasn’t going to read anything again because it ruined my first experience. I was up and moving, I pottered around the house with baby, went on little walks about the garden. - by day 5 I had stopped taking any painkillers, by day 10 I felt back to normal, still took it easy because your healing inside but I didn’t have any pain, no uncomfortableness. I had such a better time not reading into all the shite online.
if I had another baby I’d be running to theatre to get another section 🤣