Driving after C-section

[Anonymous]

When did you drive after a c section? The info packet I took home said 4-6 weeks but that seems crazy. I'm 10 days post-op, zero pain, haven't been on pain meds in 4 days, can twist with no problems, when H brakes (or runs over curbs, as he's apt to do, lol) there's no pain. I feel ready to drive, at least short distances. Plus it's annoying having to coordinate with H to go anywhere.

[Anonymous]

If you are standing up, can you easily lift each knee at least so your thigh is parallel to the ground without needing to lean on something for support?

[Anonymous]

I think it was at about 2 weeks. They have to cover their bases for Liability but you don’t really need to wait 4-6 weeks.

[Anonymous]

The issue isn’t pain, it’s quick reaction time if you suddenly need to slam on the brakes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are standing up, can you easily lift each knee at least so your thigh is parallel to the ground without needing to lean on something for support?

Yup, can do that no problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The issue isn’t pain, it’s quick reaction time if you suddenly need to slam on the brakes.

I agree with this. It took me a solid 3 -4 weeks to feel comfortable driving normally.

[Anonymous]

Where exactly do you need to go?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When did you drive after a c section? The info packet I took home said 4-6 weeks but that seems crazy. I'm 10 days post-op, zero pain, haven't been on pain meds in 4 days, can twist with no problems, when H brakes (or runs over curbs, as he's apt to do, lol) there's no pain. I feel ready to drive, at least short distances. Plus it's annoying having to coordinate with H to go anywhere.

I drove home from the hospital. I literally could not sit in the backseat. Also said not to take stairs I live on a third floor condo.... 4 to 6 weeks is ridiculous nobody's coming to my house to check on the baby for me to see a lactation consultant or to go to my checkups so yeah some of us have to drive.

[Anonymous]

Just when the pain meds are out of your system, so two days or so.

[Anonymous]

2 weeks was too long for me - I was fine after a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When did you drive after a c section? The info packet I took home said 4-6 weeks but that seems crazy. I'm 10 days post-op, zero pain, haven't been on pain meds in 4 days, can twist with no problems, when H brakes (or runs over curbs, as he's apt to do, lol) there's no pain. I feel ready to drive, at least short distances. Plus it's annoying having to coordinate with H to go anywhere.

I drove home from the hospital. I literally could not sit in the backseat. Also said not to take stairs I live on a third floor condo.... 4 to 6 weeks is ridiculous nobody's coming to my house to check on the baby for me to see a lactation consultant or to go to my checkups so yeah some of us have to drive.

OP. Yea, I've been doing stairs multiple times a day since I got home. Was running up and down them until H caught me and made me promise to stop.

I feel totally fine and a million times better now than I did being pregnant. Went and sat in my car to test if I could slam on the brakes and it was fine. I've been doing light exercise, long walks, getting up and down from the floor all day to play with the dogs....I think driving should be OK at this point.

[Anonymous]

I drove myself to my post-2-week OB checkup after C Section. My dad offered to drive m, but I wanted a break from the baby and from feeling helpless and just wanted to feel like my old self-sufficient self. I found that lifting my foot up and transferring it back and forth between gas and brake pedals was a bit painful on my incision. What was worse, however, was the sleep deprivation. I was tired and a bit shaky behind the wheel. In fact I accidentally scraped against a pillar in the parking garage and knocked my driver’s side mirror off. What a costly way to try to get some independence.

[Anonymous]

So i had to wait 2 weeks to feel comfortable driving. It was a strange feeling in my abs/abdomen pushing the brakes. I could do stairs/other activity fine it was just that motion that was painful and really uncomfortable.

[Anonymous]

My doc said 2 weeks but it was 6 weeks before I felt comfortable. Until then, I couldn't twist to check my blindspot without a little hesitation.

[Anonymous]

I waited till 6 weeks before driving myself, and I asked DH and my family members to drive me to all appointments. I felt great after 1st c- section without any pain medication at home, but I felt more pain after 2nd c-section (5 years after) worrying about I did not have enough pain medication. I thought there was a tear-up on my 2nd c-section but it was not ( calling urgent to get obgyn check on wound.