When did you stop driving/did you stop driving?

[Cherryblossom200]

Hi everyone,

I'm 38 weeks today with my 1st baby, and still doing shortish trips in my car. Just wondered when or if you stopped driving in your pregnancy?

Thanks Cherry x

Thanks Tiggy! x

I drove about an hour before I went into labour at 38 weeks. (But didn't know at the time that i wouldn't be driving again later.) Once I was in labour there was no way I would have been capable of driving.

I was driving the car in a traffic jam on my own at 40 weeks when my waters broke. Thankfully contractions didn't start immediately and I drove the rest of the way home. My leather seats survived!

Picklesauage "Another thing that's worth knowing is amniotic fluid does weird things to leather!"

You learn something new everyday...

PG with 3rd DC - I didn't even know it was a 'thing' that some people believe you should stop driving! All the people suggesting you should stop driving - I'm assuming they're offering to ferry you around from now on then? I wonder if I can use this as leverage to chump some other poor sod into doing the school run for the next few weeks...

Also thanks to PPs for the towel reminder, although I doubt a bit of bodily fluid will really make a difference to the cleanliness of my skip on wheels car

I was still driving when I was a week overdue, it never really occurred to me to stop.

I didn't drive after about 37 weeks. The weather was abysmal (snow and ice) so I just didn't fancy it.

I'll drive later than that this time I think as I'll be taking DD to pre-school.

I still do the 30 mile round trip to take DS to school everyday and then again to pick him up, (DD's school is 1 mile from home) and I'm 38 weeks.

just over 5 years ago I drove myself to the hospital in labour with DD (about 6 miles). I had to pull over a few times but I got there safe, DH works 55 miles away so he wouldn't have had time to get to me then the hospital (he was there just as I was wheeled down to theatre)

don't stop driving unless you want to or its too uncomfortable. I drive an automatic so it's much easier to drive than a manual.

I drove until the day I sold my car, which luckily was the day I had my son. Our new car came about a week later.

Late in my pregnancy with DD, I did have a plan for what I would do if I went into labour while at work (I figured that I didn't spend enough time anywhere other than work or home for it to be likely enough to figure out a plan). My plan was to take a cab to the hospital (I don't know if I would have had to pay for an ambulance ride or not) and get my dad to retrieve my car from work later on.

Only 15% of women actually have their water break before they go into labour. Figure what percentage of your day you spend in your car, then multiply that by 0.15 to get a rough idea of your chances of having your water break in your car. Then ask if you think that's likely enough that you want to keep a towel in the car, or sit with a towel under you.

That said, cheap towels are a useful thing to have when you have a new baby, especially if you have one who spits up a lot. You might want to buy a few towels that are cheap enough that you won't really care if you ruin them when your water breaks, or when the baby spits up or poos, or if you have to give the baby antibiotics- here, they prescribe bright pink amoxicillin for babies with ear infections, and it makes a MESS if they spit it out.

I didn't stop, and also unknowingly drove while in labour!

I passed my driving test at 37 weeks

Don't drive in labour - that's not safe - but any time up until then is fair game if you're feeling up to it.

I drove until the day of my induction (ds was late), I had to get dd to school in a village.

I didn't stop either. I had to drive 10 miles to my midwife appt at 40+3 weeks to have a sweep! Couldn't get there any other way.

I love driving and strangely feel most comfortable in my driving seat, the sofa etc is just becoming too uncomfortable for me - so any excuse for a bit of a drive for me!

The last time I drove was just before Christmas. I've stopped because getting in and out of The car and working the pedals really stuffed up my pelvis. I got home and cried I was so sore.

Last pregnancy I think I drove when overdue.

I didn't stop with my previous two (I went into labour at my parents house and drove myself home) and have no plans to stop this time either

I went on maternity leave at 34 weeks as the 4 hour drive a day was very uncomfortable as I have SPD, unfortunately work in retail so no opportunity to work from home! I'm 38 weeks now and still use the car for popping to the shops etc....can't imagine giving up completely!

I drove up until 40 + 10. Like others have said it's unlikely you'll go into full labour straight away, so go for it unless you start to get signs things are happening. As long as you're not driving hours away you'll be fine. You can't sit at home all day especially if you go over. Good luck

I drove through all my pregnancies, though my mum did drive me to hospital when I was in labour (DH cannot drive). A friend of mine did stop driving but only because she is very small and she couldn't comfortably reach the steering wheel.

A colleague of mine stopped his wife from driving during her pregnancies as she wasn't safe on the road! She was an excellent driver normally but seemed to lose all concentration when pg, and, after a couple of near misses, they both decided that she was better off being chauffeured by him.

With my first, I was still driving when I was 41 weeks.

It hadn't occurred to me to stop at any particular point

I never stopped driving I didn't really need to.
I started driving 4.5 weeks after my section

Do they give free spam recipes too, Deborah?

I was probably driving a few hours before I went into labour.

I can't live without my car!

I was driving again the day after giving birth.