Fist thing to know......it is ok to be scared. I planned a natural childbirth outside of a hospital and still ended up in a c-section. If you trust your doctor, know that he or she will put you in good hands with the team that they work with. There are some risks to that needle thing, but know that they can be corrected. You will be given shots of lidocaine to numb the area around where the needle goes in. Just keep still and let the anestesiologist do his job. Ask someone in the room to help you by standing in front of you. Hold or even sqeeze their hands. I was terrified, too. No one will think you are weak or crazy for being scared. Find a peaceful place in your mind and GO THERE. Once the epidural or spinal is over, just do relaxing, cleansing breaths. This will help immensely. Since you are having an epi or spinal, you will get to see your baby. While they are doing the procedure, know that you won't feel anything. Just keep thinking that soon, you get to see that new life you grew! They will show you him or her for a brief second and then tend to him whlie you are being stitched. As soon as he is bathed, they will bring him to you, but make sure you ask that he is brought to you so that there is no confusion.
The next day you will have horrible gas pains. Walking around helps alleviate them faster, so gt up and pace a little bit at a time. Before you do, though, the doctor will give you a girdle looking thing to tightly wrap around you. Ask some nurses or your husband to help wrap you before you get up. It helps tons. You will feel miserable, but that's ok, it's not the worst thing you've ever felt. You will be given medication which will make it harder to nurse, but hae your husband help you and ask that a lactation consultant come and visit you every day. I actually had someone from the nursery show me what to do. The medication will be safe to nurse on. I was given morphene, then percocet. The baby will be slightly more tired than expected.
Iwish you luck. Just breathe. many, many women go through this every day. You will be ok.
I hope that this helps you