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Parenting

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Original poster

Scared to drive with new baby

13 replies

LucieLoo21 · 15/03/2021 06:14

Looking for some reassurance really! I have a new baby and I am so scared to drive in my car with him. I have been driving for over 10 years and have never had an accident but I’m now terrified to take him out in the car.

A big part of me wants to stop driving but I know I need to and that it will do him good to take him out and about to classes and to see family etc.

Does anyone have any advice if they felt this way and got through it?

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Caspianberg · 15/03/2021 06:28

I think everyone feels this. For me I panicked about him crying the most and not being able to stop. So just start slowly and do local short drives where you can easily pull into side street if needed. Then gradually increase

TheQueef · 15/03/2021 06:31

I second short trips to get used to it.
Luckily they reliably fall asleep so it becomes a soother instead of an ordeal

FTEngineerM · 15/03/2021 06:49

You’re not alone, I’ve always been a confident driver but about 2 weeks after birth I’d realised I hadn’t driven and I started to panic. I took DC to get fuel which is 1 mile away. Then built up from there. It does get easier.

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Mc3209 · 15/03/2021 12:18

Same. Fixing a babysafe mirror to a headrest was very useful, so I can see what he is up to in his rear facing car seat. You can get those from Amazon.

It's less scary once you actually start doing it. You will be OK 💐

Laurend0603 · 15/03/2021 13:23

I am like this my daughter is 3 and a half months and havent yet no where to go during lockdown making it worse and hisband just drives at weekend am so nervous the first time I have to do it I dont even know how to put car seat in yet need hisband to show me x

Rubiales678 · 15/03/2021 16:09

Definitely get one of those headrest mirrors it puts your mind at ease! You will be nervous the first couple times but its like ripping a plaster off just do it. The first time I drove alone with my baby he was 6 weeks old and not very well. I hadn't driven since my c section and I had to drive to the doctor's unexpectedly as husband was at work! I had to quickly learn how to fit the car seat ( was probably wrong!) Then drive to the doctor's . I was almost in tears due to the stress of it all! Yours won't be that bad I'm sure!

LuckyC27 · 15/03/2021 19:21

Argh I was like this for ages it terrified me, for the first 3 months or so I would only go out with my hubby and sit in back with baby. Then when the support bubble was introduced for under 1s I bubbled up with my parents and after a few weeks of having them over to mine I decided to drive to them 30 or so mins away. I bought I one of those baby mirrors and as I had told them what time I would be there I just had to go for it. It’s so silly thinking about it now I literally had butterflies getting in the car with him I was so nervous, but once I had done it I was fine and have driven over there weekly since. Like a pp I also didn’t know how to do the car seat as hubby had always done it so brought it inside a few days before to have a go as I knew I would be stressed if I got to the car with baby and had no idea of how to get him in. I would plan to drive somewhere say in a weeks time, that way you can prep, on the morning make sure you have everything ready (this actually kept me calm getting the changing bag etc together) and just go for it, once you do it you will be fine good luck 🤞🏻 X

Original poster

LucieLoo21 · 15/03/2021 20:35

Thanks everyone for your replies - that’s really reassuring to know I’m not the only one who has felt/is feeling this way!

My main worry is the thought of being in a serious accident, although I can definitely see me also being stressed out thinking whether baby is okay sat in his seat etc. I will definitely invest in a mirror!

I think you’re all right, il just have to go for it and start slow. Also maybe if I try and think that I’m doing a good thing for baby’s sake taking him out, rather than worry I’m putting him at risk by doing so.

OP posts:

Pud26 · 15/03/2021 20:39

After I had my little one I couldn't drive for a couple of weeks due to 4th degree tear. I ended up going for a couple of drives by myself before starting to add baby with me. Then it was short trips. My parents stay about 10 mins away and built it up from there.

DramaAlpaca · 15/03/2021 20:41

I was the same. I didn't really like anyone else driving either. I was fine after a couple of weeks.

CreosoteQueen · 15/03/2021 20:57

I felt the same at first! I built up to it slowly - started with short drives round the block with my husband sitting in the back with the baby and built up to taking him on my own. I still don’t love it but I can do it. I kept telling myself that I didn’t want my first experience of driving him alone to be in an emergency which helped to motivate me.

Mumofagirl · 16/03/2021 07:41

I bought a 'baby on board' sign for my rear window (something which I cringed at pre-baby) but it made me feel more confident that other drivers would keep a distance and appreciate a more cautious driver whilst I rebuilt my confidence. I'm not sure it really made a difference but it did to me! I now love driving my baby to my parents (support bubble) and feel independent having the confidence to drive there.

Rockieroad · 16/03/2021 16:01

It gets easier, I was driving at the speed of an old dear, with the hesitation at junctions of a learning when I first started out with baby in car 🙈.

My tip would be to make sure they are well fed before you start a journey. When DS was 5 weeks old I was driving home and got stuck in roadworks, nowhere to pull over. Cue meltdown as he was hungry which was really stressful

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