Stein sighed. "It's not just a matter of pain." He was a little stunned that no doctor had explained this before now.

He pushed his glasses up a little further on his nose. "The surgery we're discussing involves cutting into your abdomen to take the baby out. There are muscles that I will have to cut through, and it'll take time for them to heal. Those same muscles help support your body when you're carrying something heavy - like a baby. Even if you were a woman getting a cesarean section, you wouldn't be able to carry the baby around for six weeks, so I'm sure you'll be in the same position."

He shrugged and spread his hands helplessly. "Most people get a friend to help them out, if they don't have a partner."