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

Yes OP, the priority right now is to explain this, and make sure the reason is something @Luna6 deems acceptable 🙄

You’ve seen her contract have you? Perhaps you could enlighten her as to what her insurance will cover?
Op the only way you can find out what your insurance will cover is by speaking to them. But remember that a baby cannot spend more than 20 mins at a time in a car seat. Car seats are designed to hold them somewhat vertical so that the safety straps are effective, this means that new babies with poor neck control get slowly asphyxiated in the seat. You’d need at least 5 good breaks to drive 2 hours, and I’m not even sure on the guidance on repeatedly putting a newborn back in the seat. I’d find a train and worry about retrieving your car at another time

Preston to Birmingham is one straight train, then get a taxi from the station to home. Cheapest safe way

Is your car at your mum's? If so I would leave it there and go home via train, which is honestly one of the best methods with a baby as you can hold them/feed them etc. Then come back in a few weeks to collect your car. If your car is in the hospital car park that's more of a problem!

I had a C-section 9 years ago and major abdominal surgery earlier this year. Both times, I tried to get my consultant to agree that I could drive before 6 weeks, because I drive to and occasionally for work. Neither of the consultants was willing to assume the risk of okaying it before I was fully healed, and tbh I don't blame them.

All your insurer will say is "it's fine if your doctor is happy", but the point is that your doctor is very unlikely to approve at all, and certainly not within a few days of surgery (because that's an insane risk for you and other road users!)

Personally I would not be taking a newborn anywhere that requires hours in a travel seat, by any transport method.

A Doctor has to clear you to be fit to drive. No doctor will do that three days after major abdominal surgery. If OP does drive without her doctors permission her insurance is void.

No insurer or contract will cover OP to drive almost immediately after abdominal surgery, don't be silly. Why would any insurer approve a contract which basically says "ignore the rule and crack on"? The standard advice is no driving for 6 weeks, and insurance will only cover the OP prior to 6 weeks with consultant's permission (which is very unlikely to be provided ime).

I think that you have to ask a friend to collect you. There will be one willing to help. Offer to pay train and add them to your insurance, or Leave your car there for now, they collect you. Be generous with your offer to reimburse them. Do you have a car seat?

Congratulations on your baby. You can get a direct train from Preston to Birmingham New Street. I really would not drive 3 days after major abdominal surgery.

Yes it’s quite an unusual situation, but the people who volunteer as the helpful type, so maybe one of them will be keen for a bit of an adventure. My dad has someone who picks him up and takes him home, the guy that drives apparently just loves his ‘job’

Ubers are available at circa £280

I would be arranging to stay with your family in Preston for a few days or weeks I think. Really not great for a slightly early newborn to travel that far on any form of transport imo.

Nightmare situation (apart from the baby of course! Congrats!!).

I wouldn’t drive so soon in terms of your body needing to heal.

Is there anyone who could pick you up and bring you back? Failing that, I would either get the train or fork out for a taxi ride (appreciate it would be extortionate, but I’d be tempted to just pay it given the situation).

Hopefully your partner can learn to drive soon because it’s a lot to expect you to do all the driving with a baby/kid for the next few years. Unless there is a reason he can’t and then please ignore me!

Do you have a car seat? Just thinking we definitely weren’t driving around with a car seat in the car just in case!

Also worth remembering the baby can only really be in the car for 30 min stretches at this point, so the drive will have a lot of stop offs.

I'm frequently reminding mum's on here that the 6 week 'rule' is a myth, and that they can drive when they feel ready, but will usually need a doctor sign off. 2 to 3 weeks back driving is pretty common! I also felt pretty good after my sections and was back to normal very quickly.

But even I think you'd be nuts and frankly negligent to do so. I have heard of mums driving themselves home from hospital after c-sections, but only in America, where they tend to keep you in slightly longer, and she'd probably be back at work the next week anyway.

I'm also personally quite relaxed about this 30-minute car seat rule, especially if it's someone that can sits in the back with baby. However, that is a very long journey, and the babies that tend to struggle with car seats are smaller, premature ones. Getting someone to drive you back sounds much more sensible, then maybe give it another week before you contact your GP about driving.

Not sure if this is actually real but of course you can't. You've had major surgery. Didn't you read up on sections before birth?

Leave it six weeks so it can all heal internally.

Do you know anyone in Preston who could potentially get temporary insurance to drive your car? They could drive you all home and then perhaps get public transport back.

If possible, stay with your mum for a week or two and try to find someone who will drive you back. I’ve had two c-sections and one minute you’re fine but the minute you overdo it you’re not. You really need to make sure you take good care of yourself over the next few weeks until you heal. Let your partner organise getting you back - he’s there to support you.

I've had 2 c sections and like PP I haven't stuck to not driving till 6 weeks past. Both times I've spoken to GP/Consultant and had agreement after a few weeks to drive. But no way would I have been able to drive that distance so soon. And I was only doing very short distances for the first month or so.

I remember after my second section I also felt fine whilst in hospital. At 5 days post section feeling fine walking around the ward I tried to walk to and from the hospital canteen (opposite end of a large hospital) and almost didn't make it back to my bed due to the pain.

Also pre term and low birth weight babies are much more of a risk in car seats so will need lots of long breaks for both baby and you.

No. I doubt you will even be able to, physically. After my C-section I moaned for 10 min journey home in our car fearing my belly would split open. That's how it feels.

Congratulations on your new baby!

Would it be worth finding out whether these companies that will drive your car back for you could drive it back with you in it?

You haven't actually been discharged yet. In my experience that won't happen until your baby is feeding well, you appear to be healing ok with no signs of infection. So 2-4 days in hospital assuming your baby passes all the medical checks.

I've had a Cat-1 emergency section and a Cat-3 planned section, and was discharged within 24 hours of both.

I couldn't drive though. You'd do yourself major damage if you needed to emergency break and that is a massive drive.

This is probably your best bet. They’ll take you and the car if it’s on your policy.

You probably could, the question is whether you would be insured and whether you should for your health and a speedy recovery. Other good suggestions above, travel insurance? Household insurance? Strange things seem to be covered sometimes. Friendly local garage? Are you staying with family or at a hotel, try reception at the hotel someone may know someone who would drive you home in your own car for a reasonable price.

Taxi?