I hated my first emergency section and it really knocked me about, but I had elective with my second and it was such a positive experience.
I was only in hospital two nights. He was born 4pm on the Tuesday and I was home for 11am on the Thursday.
I hate being in hospital as I can never get comfy and never sleep well. My huuby had taken time off work so was home to look after me.
My advise would be to try moving around as soon as you can. It's pretty painful at first, just trying to stand up straight and walk feels like you are going to rip yourself in half, but you won't! Obviously don't push it if you are in too much pain, but once you can get up to the toilet they can remove the catheter (I hate those things!) and reasearch apparently shows that the sooner you can get up and move the better it is for you. But definitely take it easy..... a shuffle to the loo and shower is enough!
Big pants are a definite help. They are way comfier but also, after a shower it will be very difficult to bend down to put them on. Holding the side with one hand and holding on to a rail with the other hand while lifting your legs in to them was much easier for me than bending down, and the bigger the pants.... the easier this move is haha.
Take some peppermint tea to sip as the gas pains after can be really bad and this eases it. You can buy peppermint pills from holland and barret if you don't like the drink.
Once home I was happy moving around the house and started going for short walks (like to local corner shop) as early as day 4 after birth. But that is literally just a couple of minutes away. By 2 weeks after birth I was walking to the local shopping centre about 20 minutes away and pushing the pushchair there and back.
Everyone is different though and remember, pain is usually the body's way of saying "that's enough!". I did try going to the shopping centre after about 5 day and it totally wiped me out, I felt so drained and was in a fair bit of pain the next day xxx