There are a lot of things that you might not be able to do during the first weeks after labor. These activities might include some ordinary activities you have had before labor. How soon can you drive after giving childbirth? Read through as we will provide you helpful information through the rest of the article.
What are the things you need to expect physically?
There is a lot you can count here. The following are just some of the many.
• Vaginal discharge – you might experience discharge heavier than your usual period. It begins as clots and will eventually fade away leaving you some white or yellow discharges.
• Constipation – you will experience first postpartum bowel movement and hemorrhoids days after labor. This is also caused by your episiotomies that are currently healing.
• Episiotomy and Hemorrhoids – Episiotomy is due to the cut your doctor did while Hemorrhoids are the swollen blood vessels in your rectum. These two make it hard for you to sit or walk.
• “After pains” – also known as cramps. These are caused by contractions of your uterine even after labor.
• Sore breasts – This is due to the milk produced inside your mammary gland.
What are the things you need to expect emotionally?
You won’t just feel exhausted and tired. After labor, you will feel a significant change in your emotions. The two are the following:
• “Baby blues.” - Baby blues refer to the constant change of your feelings. There are a lot of new mommies who become irritable, anxious, and sad especially during the first days after labor. These baby blues can be associated with the physical changes you are experiencing too. This includes hormonal changes, exhaustion and much more. Don’t be alarmed since baby blues are expected to go away within one to two weeks.
• Postpartum depression - When you experience baby blues in a longer duration, this is already called PPD or postpartum depression. This will cause you anxiety, mood swings, persistent sadness and even guilt. You would feel depressed under this circumstance. This is experienced approximately 10 to 15% of new mothers. PPD can last up to 12 months and can be more prevalent in women who have some history of depression.
Is it safe to drive after labor?
This is relative. When you drive, you are using some muscles that you have used during your labor. This means that you need to make sure you are healed before plunging on to the road with your four-wheels. I said it is relative because it depends on the difficulty of labor and the speed of your recovery. Some new mothers can be safe in driving after a week while others might take two or more weeks.
Is it safe to drive soon after having a vaginal birth?
Brigham and Women’s Hospital recommended that you need to keep your physical activities at the minimum level, the within few days. After few days of rest, you can take some short drives when you notice that your vaginal bleeding is minimal and you don’t experience constant dizziness. However, it is always advised that you drive after at least six weeks of resting.
Is it safe to drive soon after having a c-section birth?
Unlike natural labor, c-section requires a longer resting period. In fact, new mothers are not advised to lift anything heavier than a baby’s weight. You are also not encouraged to twist within few weeks after the c-section. It means that raising your new infant in and out of the car may be harmful.
When you drive, you might use your abdominal muscle by pressing the brake, that might be painful for you. It's the reason why new mothers who have undergone C-sections are required to wait at least three weeks of postpartum before having a short drive.
What are the things you need to consider?
You need to know that after labor, things can change so fast. You might not be able to do things you always have done prior labor. Especially in driving, it is no longer simple as hopping in the car, twisting the keys and backing out of the driveway. As a new mother, you need to consider a lot of things for your baby, and this might make you more tired physically.
As we all know, you might feel tired and exhausted because of labor. Thus, this means that you are advised to rest at least few weeks after doing some activities again. When it comes to driving, some mothers can have short drives after resting within two weeks while others need to rest for at least six weeks. This is all dependent on the difficulty of labor you underwent. However, it is always safe to have full recovery before hitting the road.
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