Can I drive home after C section if baby discharged today?

[Agrette0]

Hi, probably a daft question but I’m really not sure what to do and I don’t want to get in trouble.

I had my baby girl on Friday morning by C section, she came a bit early while we were up visiting family in Preston. We actually live in Great Barr (Birmingham area) and were only meant to be staying the weekend but my waters went suddenly on Thursday night.

Baby’s doing well and they’re saying we can be discharged later today. The problem is we’re quite far from home and I don’t really have anyone who can come get us. My partner can’t drive (we usually use my car) and my mum doesn’t drive either. Everyone’s saying wait a few days but we’re stuck in hospital and I just want to get baby home and settled.

I feel ok in myself apart from being a bit sore when I get up or twist, but I can move around fine and it’s an automatic car. It’s about a 2 hour drive mostly motorway (M6).

I know they say not to drive for 6 weeks after a section but is that like an actual rule or just what they recommend? I’d obviously take it slow and stop if needed.

Has anyone here driven sooner and been ok? I’m desperate to get home now and baby’s not sleeping well here at all.

Thanks x

Sigh, again, it's not painful for everyone. My journey home is pain free. The 2-hour round trip I took on day five, (Which also involves me lugging a pushchair up and down a small flight of stairs by myself) also, pain-free. Not everyone's experience is universal.

Congratulations!

To address your problem. As you know it isn’t advisable.

Your insurance may not cover you if you do drive? May be worth asking them?

is there no one that can get the train or bus to you and drive you back? It’s a tricky one as you can’t presumably stay up there for 6 weeks!

what do the hospital say??

You have no idea how that would have gone if you had to do an emergency stop a couple of days after. It's not about how much pain you're in ffs. It's about what you've had done. If you want to take risks lugging buggies about then that's on you. But you don't get behind the wheel of a car after admominal surgery. It's common sense at least.

Well I would hope it was.

Yes, indeed.

Well no, you were lucky. But anecdote does not make data, and your experience is atypical compared to the data. Most car insurance companies (and the DVLA under guidance from the relevant legislation) will expect a driver to have been cleared by a clinician before they start driving, as the clinician has a good view on whether a person can adequately control a car and a relationship with the patient to discuss this with them.

Most doctors would not clear someone to drive within a day or two of a C section due to risk - a few women would be OK, most would experience discomfort which could potentially impair their decision making in an emergency and a few may experience complications which could emergently impair their ability to drive safely. With that balance of risk, it's safer to advise a couple of weeks recovery just to ascertain the degree of discomfort a woman will experience on their healing journey.

I've said repeatedly that she shouldn't be driving after a few days, and to give it at. Least another week before she goes to the GP. I certainly didn't agree with her plan!

The difference between what I said and you is that you told her that she WOULD be in pain just sitting in the car, which is a huge generalisation. You've then gone further to call it atypical based on what, your anecdote. What I said is that experiences vary and it might not be the case. Ie there's a range.

Why are you insisting that the way you felt must be the norm, rather than just your experience?

Ps: jumping out of my skin (but not my stitches) less than 24 hours after section, to the point I got airtime after being squirted by an ice cold shower spinning round and drenching me, means I'm fairly sure my stitches would have coped fine with an emergency stop. Doesn't make driving so soon safe or sensible though.

Not true! 😊

Reposting this.

'Driving after surgery

Evaluating the likely effects of postoperative recovery.

...
Licence holders wishing to drive after surgery should establish with their own doctors when it would be safe to do so.
Any decision regarding returning to driving must take into account several issues, including:

• recovery from effects of procedure
• anaesthetic recovery from the effects of the procedure
• any distracting effect of pain
• analgesia-related impairments (sedation or cognitive impairment)
• other restrictions caused by the surgery, the underlying condition or any comorbidities

Drivers have the legal responsibility to remain in control of a vehicle at all times. Drivers must ensure they remain covered by insurance to drive after surgery.'

No one can legally tell you not to drive except a doctor or the police and they haven't. It's all just guidelines and recommendations. You also don't need to get their approval to start doing anything you want after a section.
If you feel well enough to drive and can move comfortably then do so. I drove and lifted and walked and cleaned and did all sorts of things within a fortnight but everyone is different. Only you know you.

With all due respect, I think you've confused me with another poster. I've not posted any anecdote, just a summary of data (can post sources if necessary). I've also never had a C section so have no lived experience to comment on....

Your insurance will be invalid. You are putting yourself and baby in danger driving so soon after major surgery. Also if you are in an accident you could split your stitches wide open. You need someone to drive you home safely

Congratulations OP. I hope you’re settled in your home very soon, with your new baby.

I may well have been. In my defence I was up all night with a vomiting child so it's no surprise I'm not making sense .

I’m not spreading “fake info”, I quoted exactly what I was told by my consultant, who is probably more educated than a random online person. The DVLA decides whether people are able to drive with medical conditions. If you’ve undergone major surgery, you’re unlikely to be able to stop safely in an emergency. Is that explanation any clearer for you?

It’s not “utter nonsense”, I quoted exactly what I was told by my consultant, who is probably more educated than a random online person. The DVLA decides whether people are able to drive with medical conditions. If you’ve undergone major surgery, you’re unlikely to be able to stop safely in an emergency. Is that explanation any clearer for you?

A c section is not a medical condition that needs to be declared ( there is a list online ) and I’m a solicitor I have a lot more knowledge about the law than a doctor who never studied law .

You wouldn’t think it from the way you write. A consultant with many years of experience knows whether someone is allowed to drive. I never had a c section, but I wasn’t allowed to drive for two weeks. I was sharing my experience, which is what we’re here to do.

A consultant can advise you not to drive . But DVLA has nothing to do with this or the insurance. The reportable conditions that must be reported are not flexible in anyway it’s a fixed list.
If you don’t like the way I write that’s your prerogative not mine ! Doesn’t change the fact a medical consultant know absolutely nil about law and the fact you have the wrong advise .

Obviously I’m not going to listen to some random person on the internet (claims to be educated but has poor literacy skills). I’ve shared my experience, which is what we’re here to do. A very quick search confirms what I’ve said and invalidates your points.
“You should not drive after surgery until your doctor says it is safe, and you should not drive within 24 hours of general anesthesia or sedation, as it is illegal and your insurance may be invalid. Driving after surgery depends on the type of surgery, anesthetic, and your recovery from any pain or medication effects. Always get explicit clearance from your surgeon before getting behind the wheel.

General guidelines
Wait for clearance:
Never drive after surgery without your doctor's approval.

24-hour rule:
You cannot legally drive for at least 24 hours after a general anesthetic or sedation.

Medication effects:
Avoid driving while taking strong pain medication, as it impairs reaction time and judgment.

Ability to control the car:
You must be able to safely control the vehicle, perform an emergency stop, and check blind spots comfortably and without pain.

Report to DVLA:
Inform the DVLA if your condition will likely affect your driving for more than three months, as failure to do so can result in fines or prosecution.”

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-12404983/Are-new-mothers-uninsured-drive-Caesarean-section.html

'Ultimately, all insurers say it is safe to drive again after a C-section once the mother and their doctor agree. That could take any time at all, from a few weeks to several months.'

I haven't read the whole thread so I'm sure somene has flagged this up but you CANNOT drive for 6 weeks after a Caesarean Section and also not until the GP gives you the all clear as you are NOT INSURED, you cant brake hard as your body wont let you I am slightly terrified that you have considered it too

You cant drive. You have to find someone to help by driving you.

Personally Id help with this for a collegue or someone I barely knew - cute baby + its clearly a one off event.

1 - Even being a passenger home from hospital 2 days later was painful enough. There’s no way you’ll manage 2 hours of driving.
2 - Your insurance will never cover you.
3 - A newborn baby should not be in a car seat for that long.

If people click ‘See All’ on the original post they’ll see that the OP has found a solution.

this x 100 , whats he been doing for the last 9 months . Not like it's a surprise.