Learning to drive in 3rd Trimester, have you/would you/is it just a stupid idea?!

[SadPander]

So embaracingly I've failed my driving test about 6 times, could be 5 can't really remeber! This was about 5 years ago and although I've driven a little since with DH I haven't had any lessons. Ideally I'd like to drive when the baby arrives so that I'm not too isolated.

Would it be crazy to start learning at about 28 weeks?! I'm 26 at the mo and have been meaning to do this since I found out i was pregnant, but we've been trying to sell our house and buy another - its been a total nightmare and I didn't feel I could manage the stress of driving lessons and test on top if this (I hate driving!) Within the next couple of weeks I'm expecting that I'll know if the moves are all going ahead or have all fallen through, so with one less thing on my mind thought I could start the lessons. If all goes well I'll hopefully be moving houe somehwere between 36 and 40 weeks and also trying to refurb and do building work on the hosue before the baby is born, DH thinks I'm taking on too much.

Am I going to have major baby brain and/or start crying everytime I stall? Will I fit behind the wheel towards the end?! The other option is to start lessons after baby is born which would mean there wasn't so much pressure time wise to pass my test before due date, but potentially I will be even more baby brained and exhausted then??

I did driving tests in the third trimester (unsuccessfully :( ) but if you feel up to it, I'd go for it. Being able to drive when the baby arrives will be a great asset!

You would probably have to book your test immediately. It's doable with intensive lessons. I passed my automatic license in the third trimester with ease. Good luck

I passed my test at 7 months pg with dc1 (5th go). They said they wouldn't make me do an emergency stop. It was fine for me but sounds like you will have a lot of other things going on as well so may be crazy manic for you. I would also consider how long it would be afterwards before you would be happy/able to leave your little one for a couple of hours at a time. I found that really difficult and couldn't concentrate whilst away from them.
Whenever you decide to do it, good luck.

Thanks everyone, some positive success stories! Fairypants I can imagine its hard to leave a baby, and I hate driving so much I really will look for any excuse not to do it, so I can see it dragging on if I don't do it now! At the same time I don't want to spend lots on lessons, not pass before the baby arrives and then have to take a big break before starting lessons again. This is my first so no idea if I'd physically feel up to starting lessons again right after the birth, or would I need to leave it a few weeks?

With my first baby I tried to pass and should have continued lessons after the birth. I never felt up to it and suddenly a year had passed. Second baby was due and I had a panic about getting about. Tried the automatic ones and passed in ten lessons. It has been brilliant being able to have so much freedom.

I missed my own point there. I never managed to get back to my driving lessons the first time partly due to tiredness, but largely due to breast feeding and not being able to (or wanting to) leave dc for any length of time.

I missed my own point there. I never managed to get back to my driving lessons the first time partly due to tiredness, but largely due to breast feeding and not being able to (or wanting to) leave dc for any length of time.

Hi, I started having lessons during my first pregnancy but didn't have enough time to attempt the test. I had planned to continue at some point, but found it impossible with the baby. When I got pregnant this year, I decided to try again. I am currently 38+6 and passed my test today. Hooray. I am so pleased I went for it, and though I found it difficult to turn around for the manouvers, it was otherwise not a problem being heavily pregnant(other than for the fact the steering wheel was actually touching my bump). My advise would be to go for it. Have lots and lots of lessons. if you pass it will make your life so much easier with a baby, and I think you are definitely right that if you don't do it now, it will be put on hold for quite a while(three years in my case!!). Good luck.

I guess its a convenient time but (I don't know if it's just me) my spatial awareness and concentration levels are awful since I've become pregnant! I've knocked a wing mirror off and given the car several scrapes and scratches :S good luck when you do start learning!

I dont see why not. I was moving house and studying for my finals in my nursing degree at uni in my last trimester. I moved at 39 weeks and got my pass for course two weeks after i gave birth so both went smoothly. Ive been driving for years but tbh if i had been in your position i would defo go ahead and do it now as once the baby arrives not only will you be nakered but will have different sorts of time restraints. Go for it and good luck!

Congratulations rabbit I bet that feels amazing! Reasuring that you managed it at almost 39 weeks as I guess I might be about that point when taking my test too.

I think you are all confirming what I thought - that it will probably be harder after the baby is here and might be put off for a long time. If our move goes ahead we will be living somewhere a little isolated compared to our current house which is walking distance of city center) I will be able to get buses, but will be a bit of a hassle and think I might end up just being lazing and staying in the house!

I've had a look and can do semi- intensive courses in about 6-10 weeks. They seem to be about 30 hours, not sure if I might get away with a little less than this as I know the basics once I get going. Very scared but thinking I might just go for it!

I'd say go for it, I recently passed my test at 33 weeks and am pregnant with twins so was already full term size by the time I was 27 weeks... I didn't find the bump too difficult to manage although having never driven not pregnant I don't have anything to compare it to. I used to have 2 x 2hr lessons a week and it was good to have something to focus on that wasn't about being pregnant. I desperately wanted to pass and have it done with before they are born as I think juggling newborns with lessons would be far too hard.

Callofthewild do you know how many hours you needed roughly before you were ready for your test? I'm thinking of trying to arrange something similar, maybe 2x1.5 hours lessons and 1x1 hour lesson a week to break it up a little.

I passed my driving test on the fifth go, at 37 weeks pregnant (and five days before giving birth to DD2 in my front room), two weeks after my 40th birthday.

I also second doing it before little one arrives. I would say have at least 2-3 2hr lessons a week. I found that when I was only doing one lesson a week, I was losing my confidence in between and always having to recap things we had covered the previous week.

See everyone is recommending going for it. So don't know whether I should give different perspective or not but here goes anyway.
I found driving/ being a passenger in a car incredibly uncomfortable during the last probably 8 weeks of pregnancy. I used to hate driving the 15mins home. And when we went on a get away at about 7 mths we went to stay an hrs journey away as I couldn't face a longer journey and I had to fully recline the seat.
This was just my experience but I certainly couldn't have taken driving lessons at that stage.

I passed my second test in my third trimester. Having my licence has made a huge difference to my life. I say, give it a go!

I'm 19 weeks pregnant and picked up lessons again a few weeks ago. I'm hoping to take my test before xmas, as I really want to pass before baby arrives.

Im 23 weeks and my first lesson is next Friday, iv never had a lesson before but decided im 26 and need to pass my test and stop relying on dp and dads taxi. I think you should go for it.

Thanks everyone, this is just what I needed to motivate me, I'm feeling quite inspired!

Good luck terilou! I feel exactly the same. At 27 I somehow don't feel like a proper adult having to rely on others for lifts. Silly I know, but now I will be becoming a mum I think its time to feel like an independant grown up.

Mamapants thanks for your opinion too, good to hear the other side of it. Think i'll book a one off lesson first to see how it is before commiting too much money.

Hoping that I should know what's going on with the house move by the end of next week, so will book then, will be 27 weeks and hopefully go semi intesive to do the test in 10 weeks or less (gives me a few weeks left for a resit before baby is due too, just incase i don't pass the 1st test!)

SadPander - I had 43 hours of lessons in total, however, I wasn't able to practice in between. I learnt to drive in a Mini but my husband has a big 4x4 so I didn't want to attempt to drive his car as it is so different. If you are able to practice in between your lessons I think it would make a big difference.