I'm really hoping I'm not stuck in the house for six weeks.
I'm really hoping I'm not stuck in the house for six weeks.
42 votes
hostess / papaya / 10540 posts
I remember not driving for a month. I just can't remember if that's what I was told to do.
honeydew / 7230 posts
I had an incision check 10 days after birth and I was cleared then. It was contingent on being off the strong pain meds, which I had been for about 4 days at that point.
persimmon / 1198 posts
I don't remember a restriction on driving...definitely not while I was on pain meds, but they never said I couldn't drive because of my incision. The only reason I couldn't leave the house was a weight restriction...I couldn't lift more than 10 pounds, so I couldn't lift LO in his car seat for 4 weeks. I did leave the house 2 weeks pp though. I had DH put his car seat in the car and I just carried LO out to the car. I was meeting a mommy group so I just held him while we were at the coffee shop. I had dissolvable stitches...I'm not sure if that makes a difference? I never had an incision check...I only went in at 6 weeks.
You are having a scheduled c section correct? My SIL had a scheduled one and had a much easier time leaving than I did (I was in labor for 24 hours before hand). I don't remember her having as strict of instructions as I did. But she delivered at a different hospital.
cantaloupe / 6730 posts
I don't remember. I know DH drove me to my 1 week appointment followup, but I took LO to her 2 week doctor's appointment alone, so I drove, lifted the car seat etc.
pomegranate / 3791 posts
Pain meds are generally the reason behind the driving ban. I stopped taking the stronger ones at the two week point.
papaya / 10343 posts
2 wks. Until 6 wks I wore a moby whenever I took lo anywhere so I didn't need to take the car seat out of the car.
watermelon / 14206 posts
I was told 2 weeks. But at weeks 3 and 5 my gall bladder was attacking and I had it out the end of week 5. I couldn't drive 2 weeks after that. If it weren't for my pesky gall bladder, I would have been driving week 3.
squash / 13208 posts
2 weeks -
I was about 1 week PP and was going house crazy so I decided to head to BRU - left baby at home with my mom - anyway someone breaked hard in front of me so I had to do the same and OMG the pain!!!! I had to pull over until the pain stopped and then I just went home. I didn't drive again until 4 weeks PP.
cantaloupe / 6692 posts
I was on no pain meds after a week and I think I took LO to my work to visit by myself at 2-3 weeks. That's the first time I drove.
grapefruit / 4997 posts
I stopped taking pain meds after a week and drove shortly afterwards. I remembering driving to buy baby things, it felt so refreshing to be able to run errands by myself. I also drove myself to the 2 week checkup.
eggplant / 11824 posts
My OB said the driving restriction was only while I took pain meds (and even then, really only if I was loopy, which I wasn't). I drove around 3 weeks and was totally fine, I definitely could have driven earlier.
persimmon / 1165 posts
1 week, which coincided with about when I stopped taking pain meds. I remember that I drove myself to my 2-week incision check-up.
honeydew / 7909 posts
The reason for the driving restriction isn't only due to pain meds... It's because of the abdominal incision that can rupture or the pain that can happen if you are in an accident or have to slam on the brakes. Just as an fyi. I waited a month.
GOLD / wonderful olive / 19030 posts
I had to be off pain meds, so it was like 2-3 weeks. I didn't drive with LO until a month because I was scared.
pomegranate / 3383 posts
Like @Ash said, my OB said I had to feel comfortable slamming on the brakes in order to resume driving. I think I drove 2-3 weeks pp.
blogger / coconut / 8306 posts
I couldn't drive until my first PP appointment. I thought it was six weeks.
cherry / 231 posts
I was told that I needed to be able to slam on the brakes without hesitation before driving. I was driving at about 3 weeks.
coconut / 8472 posts
I had an incision check at 2 weeks, and the nurse asked if I was still on Percocet and I said no, and she said "ok then you're allowed to drive now."
No one mentioned the brakes thing to me, but I probably would've felt well enough to do it at that point. My c-section recovery was really not bad at all. The first couple days were obviously the worst, but once I was moving around again the pain was pretty minimal. I stayed in the hospital for 4 days and came home to my 4 floor townhouse and was able to go up and down stairs with no problem.
persimmon / 1343 posts
This is surprising! Driving was off-limits till 6wks but I didn't feel good driving till 8wks
Today | Monthly Record | |
---|---|---|
Topics | 0 | 1 |
Posts | 1 | 6 |
Ask for Help
Make a Suggestion
Frequently Asked Questions
Bee Levels
Acronyms
Most Viewed Posts
Hellobee Gold
Hellobee Recipes
Hellobee Features
Hellobee Contests
Baby-led Weaning
Bento Boxes
Breastfeeding
Newborn Essentials
Parties
Postpartum Care Essentials
Sensory Play Activities
Sleep Training
Starting Solids Gear
Transitioning to Toddler Bed
All Series
Who We Are
About the Bloggers
About the Hostesses
Contributing Bloggers
Apply to Blog
Apply to Hostess
Submit a Guest Blog
Hellobee Buttons
How We Make Money
Community Policies