thread: Driving - able to until when?

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  1. #1
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    Northern Beaches Sydney
    533

    Question Driving - able to until when?

    Hi

    Know it is a bit early to post this but trying to work out how long I can work up until and I know that several of you ladies are on bub no 2 +. How long were you able to continue driving for. I have an hour + drive to and from work each day so while ideally I would like to keep working up 3 weeks or so before the birth don't know if I will be able to drive that far very late into my pregnancy. (Guess some of it will depend on how big I get )

    How did you travel if you excuse the pun.

    Thanks M

  2. #2
    BellyBelly Member

    Nov 2004
    VIC
    1,794

    i dont think there are any limitations about how late you can drive.
    as long as you can drive safely i.e reach the steering wheel and pedals
    all is good
    i drove whilst i was in labour oops - funny story

    good luck

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Dec 2007
    Taking a ride on my grdonkey :D
    2,716

    Lol well I've been in early labour since Thursday and I was driving today I figure as long as you feel comfy behind the wheel it's fine.

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Feb 2008
    Country Victoria
    5,945

    for as long as u can fit behind the steering wheel lol

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Jul 2006
    Cloud nine :D
    6,309

    Agree with everyone else as long as you fit safely

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Apr 2006
    In the ning nang nong...
    1,277

    As long as you can fit behind the wheel, it's fine. I just found I got really tired towards the end of my pregnancy - dreaded the long nights because of reflux, just couldn't sleep at all. And that also impacted on my driving. I found I was having microsleeps at the wheel when I had to drive nearly 3 hours to see my ob for the weekly appointments at the end. Not good! But for around town, no problems.

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Dec 2007
    Taking a ride on my grdonkey :D
    2,716

    Oh if you have long legs you should be sweet because you can pull your seat back to fit your belly under the steering wheel and still reach the pedals But yeah, glad to know I'm not the only one who drives right up until (or after) their due date... my mother is horrified that I'm still driving myself around all the time

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Jan 2006
    8,369

    Driving in labour = bad idea. Even strong prelabour or strong BHs. Trust me, you get a strong contraction and your concentration on the road is gone.

    Otherwise I was driving pretty much until I went into labour. (With 12 days of prelabour - but only once when it actually was bothering me and not again.)

    Obviously if your bump is so big you can't move the steering wheel maybe you should think about giving it up too, but that didn't happen to me.

  9. #9
    BellyBelly Member

    Feb 2007
    On the beautiful Gold Coast!
    1,930

    with DD I drove up until 41 weeks
    with DS I drove up until 39 weeks (had him at 39+2 weeks)

    I didnt drive long distances though because I live very close to everything I need

    It will depend on how comfortable you are while driving.....

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Oct 2007
    ★ nor here nor there ★
    4,134

    i dont think there are any limitations about how late you can drive.
    as long as you can drive safely i.e reach the steering wheel and pedals
    all is good
    i drove whilst i was in labour oops - funny story

    good luck
    me too waters broke while I was driving, so I drove another 15 min home in the opposite direction to the hospital

  11. #11
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber

    Feb 2006
    South Eastern Suburbs, Vic
    6,054

    Many people can drive right up until, although you might not feel like it. I remember Skittlebub drove maybe 45 min to and from my house and went into labour the next day, so it can be done!

    My car seats sloped downwards and put pressure on some vein or something with #1 and I would almost pass out every time I was in that car from about 25 weeks onwards, so I didn't drive, just sat in the passenger seat with cushions. I didn't bother trying in late pregnancy with #2, mostly cos I was able to avoid it.

    So barring any medical thing that makes you concerned, you should be able to drive for as long as you like!