When to stop driving?

[Nettie]

Just wondering if anyone has an opinion on whether you should stop driving in the last few weeks of pregnancy?

And is it because you could go into labour whilst behind the wheel? Or are there other reasons?

I've been thinking on this for a while now and haven't seen anything 'official' about this topic, so I thought I'd ask all you intelligent and well-read people!

[~Trish~]

You don't need to stop driving at all! I drove right up to the end of both of my pregnancies. As long as you can still reach the pedals and you feel OK, then you are fine to drive. Just make sure that the lap portion of your seatbelt goes under your belly

[Antheia]

I dunno about anyone else but i was driving up until the day before i went into labour. I think mostly for people it'd be a comfort thing and wheather or not their belly would fit. In regards to going into labour, well labour doesn't just hit full on right away so you'd have time to get home without too much trouble. I just wouldn't drive too far away from home.

[Marlene]

Keep driving till you can't fit behind the wheel. LOL.

[MrsFabuloso]

I didn't stop driving, but I didn't go far from home after about 37wks. I hated the feeling of the seat belt around me and my back was really sore by then too. I was also scared of having an accident and kept imagining horrible things whenever I drove bymyself. I would go on drives that took no more than about 15mins.

[tan32]

I have had to stop driving my truck at work only as the steering wheel sits in a different position then a car steering wheel, I have to move the seat back to get my belly in and then i cannot reach the pedals safetly, as for a car though as long as your comfy and can fit keep going. I drove up to a day before my DS was born and he was 9 days over.
The only rule i know of is dont drive yourself to hospital in labour.

[frazaled1971]

i drove myself to hospital in labour contractions comming every 2 min not cleaver as my daughter was born about 6 mins after in got in the hospital but i still drove i dont think it matters as long as everyone else has said you feel ok about driving

[Astrid]

I was wondering the same thing about driving. I am pretty sure I will still fit behind the wheel (the previous car I probably would not be fitting at all by now), but I am feeling a bit vague now and having trouble keeping track of multiple things at once. I admit I have done the odd silly thing and am finding DD too distracting in the car. So for my own safety and DD's in the car, I was considering at least cutting back on driving. To have the car I have to drop DH off at work and pick him up, so that adds to the driving each day. Also I get a lot more rest if I don't have easy access to the car.

[LimeSlice]

I drove up until a few days before I was due - didnt want tomove in those last few days let alone drive!! lol I also had a car accident though when I was about 8 months pregnant, that wasnt pleasant - but it was my own silly fault, so what can you do? I took myself into hossie and they put me on a ctg for an hour, and Charlotte was fine. (it wasnt a major accident although it did cost me $7000 to get the car fixed.)

The moral ofthe story is: If you have really bad baby brain adn cant concentrate properly, dont drive ! lol

[suse]

I drove up to the day I went into labour - I was two weeks over. I drive my partner to and from work as he doesn't have a licence so not driving was not really an option for me, but it was fine.

It's not recommended though that you drive whilst in labour, I personally don't know how I would have managed to drive through contractions, it was hard enough being a passenger!

[Nettie]

Thanks everyone for your advice and opinions!

That's pretty much how I feel too - as long as I feel ok, I'll drive. Although I won't be doing any long hauls and if I've got a bit of a 'dull' day (mind-wise), I'll keep out of the driver's seat!

I can almost walk down to the hospital as it's only about 200 metres away from my house... but DH will drive me there, I'm sure!

[Sharon19270]

I went into labour about an hour before my DS had to go to school, he got ready, I filled up with petrol, then drove the 20 mins to his school, got halfway home and told DH not to bother leaving for work, so I don't think there is any reason that you should have to stop driving.

[~Debbie~]

i drove right up until the day i had Aiden.
The only thing i really started to think about was if i should carry a couple of towels with me in case my waters broke, and a small overnight bag so, if need be, i could go straight to hospital.

[2girlz]

I drove as little as possible during the last 3 weeks as I am really short and could hardly reach the pedals plus my feet and ankles were extremely swollen so DF did most of the driving. The army tried to send him away when I had two weeks to go. god bless the army ha ha

[Nettie]

Funnily enough I've had a towel on the passenger seat of the car for a few weeks now (just in case!). I've also put one on my armchair I usually sit in at home...

Bet you anything if my waters break while I'm sitting down, it will be on a chair I haven't put a towel on

[Doing my best]

I think you just need to be sensible about it.. I had high blood pressure at some stages througout my pg. Some days I wouldn't feel up to driving,but I picked my mum up from the airport (some 40 mins away) the day before I had dd.

[meow]

Maybe don't drive after you have your show I had my show but decided labour will still be days away and drove myself to the cinema. After then having to leave the movie 1/2 an hour in due to too much pain as my contractions were starting, driving home was not fun!

[danniellabella]

I drove all through my pregnancy but did start limiting my outings alone in the last week, mainly though because it was too hard to move around, nothing to do with too hard to drive.