Just had an Elective section 3 weeks ago. It was maternal request after a difficult 2nd stage with DD1. The experience was really good and I wasn't as nervous as i thought id be. My hospital does enhanced recovery so therefore we were brought in on the morning of the section but could continue drinking isotonic drinks until I went to theatre. I was still waiting at 3pm as I was end of the list and worried I was going to be cancelled when they rang to the ward asking me to go up.
Got changed into my gown in the recovery unit and walked into theatre. Anaesthetic staff were really reassuring and talked me through everything and within 10 minutes I was lying down and the operation had started.
Apart from the cold spray on the back and the local anaesthetic I felt nothing of the spinal. Then you feel the movement of your body and pulling and pushing but nothing else. My whole body was moving as they were getting him out so it felt strange but I was prepared for that. It was also very short lived. I was really quite uncomfortable with the position of DS and when they took him out it was a weird sensation but not painful. My blood pressure then dropped - from the removal of the pressure in my abdomen (baby) and my uterus wouldn't contract as much as required so I bled about a litre - this was all managed with medication and although I personally felt the affects of my BP drop I wasn't worried at any point as the staff were in control and responded well.
I was out of theatre within 40 mins and back in recovery for 4 hrs. My spinal wore off in recovery but I was physically better when the meds had worn off as they made me very nauseous. At one point I felt there was no way I was going to go home the next day (part of the enhanced recovery is discharge at 24 hrs) and when my DH left at 9pm I felt awful. The staff were fantastic though and gave me fluids, got me eating, gave me pain relief, gave me a bed bath and after being moved to the ward at 1am they walked me. By 4am they had taken the catheter out and after I walked to the toilet and had a wee at 10 am was signed off to be discharged.
I could have stayed but, honestly, by 12 noon I was absolutely OK to go home and the only thing that delayed me til 2pm was my DH finding somewhere to park the car! In the end I walked with him across the hospital site to the car and was completely well to do this.
In the past few weeks I would say the first few days I need regular pain relief and I took Movicol to keep my bowels going myself. Getting out of bed to respond to DS crying was a challenge and that was the hardest thing of all but I had DH to give me a hand and my mother helped out also.
3 weeks on and i've got to remind myself not to do heavy lifting as I don't want to set myself back. Ive got no pain but numbness over the scar and the skin is sensitive above that as the sensation is coming back. The scar is completely healed and so Ive started massaging it yesterday. In comparison to DD's birth I can honestly say I've not got the ongoing pain I had with her. My pelvis/bladder and bowels are better than they have been for a long while! My only frustrations are not being able to start exercising but there is plenty of time for that!
I would note that this was my second child/second pregnancy and so I didn't have the added shock or challenge of learning to look after a newborn. It is also very likely my last pregnancy as we've been fortunate to be able to conceive twice from fertility treatment. For me, the ELCS was a very good experience.