Londoners- when do you start wearing baby on board badge

[j200]

Hi
I have a one hour 15 min commute on the central line (one end to the other) and often don't get a seat/am squished for at least half my journey. Just wondered when everyone started wearing their badges? Still v early days for me but already feeling v tired- do you think 8 weeks is too soon? ( will remove before work )

[Canus]

Have you ever seen anyone wearing one?

I haven't (except in a very ironic way).

People will not offer you a seat on the strength of the badge. They will either ignore you, or think you are fat but trying to be funny about it. Or just trying to blag a seat.

If you feel unwell, ask for a seat.

You are a person, not a car.

[Firstpregnancy2014]

I have no experience of this so sorry if my comment is pointless but what is a baby on board badge ?:)
Is it just a London thing?
I commute daily for an hour on a HEAVING train to manchester and back and never get a seat... I also have a history of fainting and extremely low blood preassure so I always want to scream I'm pregnant give me a seat!!!!!

[MarshaBrady]

I have never heard of this. So no badge just the bump.

[j200]

Yes I think it is a London thing and actually see quite a few women wearing the badges everyday, they also get offered seats when nice people notice them

[Bowlersarm]

I have never heard of this, or seen anyone wearing one. It sounds very funny!

[moggle]

canus I saw loads of people wearing them when I commuted into London (until last summer)?! And I would always offer if I saw someone with a badge standing up, and saw plenty of other people doing the same. Equally I've seen pregnant ladies with a bump get offered a seat and those without ask for a seat and someone always gets up (usually multiple people get up...)
To be fair most of my commute was on south west trains and I didn't use the tube everyday. Maybe people in surrey are just nicer!

[Jenbee1]

I started wearing mine at 16 weeks when I'd told work. I have mixed results but have never felt the need to ask anyone for a seat so stand if not offered. If you feel it will help wear it but don't expect it to work miracles

[PiratePanda]

When I was pregnant I just asked for a seat. Never turned down.

[ClaretAndBlue30]

I've seen a few people with these - at least takes away the 'I wasn't sure she was pregnant' excuse.

I don't wear one as I don't travel into London everyday, but whenever I do I find direct eye contact and rubbing of the belly works wonders (I'm 18 weeks).

[mousmous]

very early, as that was when I felt worst.
but orevious posters are right, no one will offer you will have to ask for a seat.
I always got a seat when I needed one.

[firsttimekat]

I've found mine invaluable, often when it's busy people comment that they saw the badge but couldn't see the bump and I only get offered a seat because of it. As to when I started wearing mine at about 14 weeks as it fit with when I told work, but I do get on early in the line so usually get a seat in the mornings. I'd wear it as soon as you feel you need to sit down. Do still ask as some people won't notice it, but usually they then see the badge and are more than happy, rather than giving you an odd 'why should I give you my seat' type look.

If you decide to wear it before you tell work due be really careful as to be honest once I put it on my jacket I forgot it was there, and it was how some people in work outside my immediate team found out!

[UnicornSparkles]

When I lived in London I never assumed someone wearing a baby on board badge was fat and trying to blag a seat!! Always offered my seat to anyone with a badge or a bump - usually had one as I lived at the far end of the Piccadilly line and was going all the way to Kings X. For a while even had a bit of a thing going on with a lady who got on at Hammersmith - always on the same train and I always gave her my seat. We'd joke that she'd return the favour!

[firsttimekat]

Do not due!

[eurochick]

What a very strange post, canus. I see several pregnant women wearing these every day on my commute and have done for years.

I started wearing mine around 14-15 weeks. I'd say that when I am standing wearing it, I am offered a seat about 60-70% of the time (I graciously turn it down if feeling fine). Even if I don't feel I need a seat, I think the badge is useful as people seem to be less inclined to squash you if standing, or give you a little more room to get off a crowded train or bus.

If anyone wants one, they are free from TFL. Just fill in the online form and they will send you one a few days later.

[YoureBeingASillyBilly]

Is there something preventing you from asking for a seat if you need to sit?

I would feel absolutely ridiculous wearing something like that.

[Andcake]

Around 14 weeks I think when I felt I was in the safe zone after a number of mc. I didn't want to tempt fate.
People always noticed and gave up their seat. Some bloke when I said no once as I was only going 2 stops insisted - saying the women in his life would never forgive him if they found out he sat their whilst a pregnant lady stood.
I think on buses and underground I felt I was more so that I had a seat if their were sudden jolts etc and had a fall. I see loads of people with them but most with a small bump.
In my circle of London friends it's the done thing for DP to get it from tfl and give it to other half for done reason a bit naff maybe but quite sweet. You need to email tfl to get one.
Also I think its a great way of not accidentally insulting fat people - I've definitely done the are they pregnant or fat thing in my head and not offered a seat in the past. It also means if you ask for a priority seat no one questions.

[Bowlersarm]

Me too, sillybilly. What about people with heart problems? Or the elderly. Do they wear badges? My mind is boggled. I half thought the OP was joking, I have never heard of it.

[Tory79]

I started wearing mine very early on as I was getting really sick travelling on the tube - I was often having to get off a couple of times to be sick at different stations - lovely!

I see quite a few people wearing them, and personally I think they're great! Especially for the early days before you are obviously pregnant (and if someone is going to ignore a bump, they're going to ignore a badge anyway )

[Thurlow]

Bloody hell, the things people can get snarky about on here never ceases to amaze me...

OP, I started wearing mine about 8w as I felt like death warmed up with.HG. It was helpful, though most of the time I was just offered a seat because of the bump. It was most useful in winter when my bump was hidden a lot by a coat - and as a short arse it seemed people didn't look low enough for the bump! - but also incredibly useful on insanely crowded rush hour Tube when I'd end up by the door and barely had room to move.

[mssleepyhead]

i've been offered a seat (mainly by men and on the tube, not buses or the train) whenever i've been wearing the badge and for that reason alone i LOVE it. i don't care if the idea's a bit odd; it works : ) i started wearing it when exhausted around 9 weeks, although was very scared in case i bumped into someone i knew so would take it off when i thought i was in a "danger zone". around 20 weeks I stopped needing it: the bump was enough! that first time someone offered me a seat without the badge was kind of strange. i've never felt more pregnant...

[SecretGeek]

Haven't started wearing my badge yet as I'm not ready for everyone at work to know.

Although I have considered it (and taking it off before I get to the office), not because I feel I need a seat right now but in the hope that I might not get quite so squashed/jostled/barged on the tube.

TFL won't send them to commuters living outside greater London. You have to go to a ticket office and request one.

[Tory79]

Oh, and I would happily ask for a seat if I really needed one, but sometimes the atmosphere on the tube can be somewhat self centred, and wearing a badge just makes it a bit more legitimate, for want of a better word!

[time2deal]

That is a strange post from canus. Wearing the badge ironically? Bizarre.
Anyway, in my experience (on the central line commute) lots of people offer seats. In fact, in general I think the view that londoners never give up their seat is a bit of an urban myth. I often see people giving up their seat for elderly, disabled and even sometimes just blokes who offer their seats to women. The thing with saying 'just ask' is that sometimes you are crammed in the entry area, miles from a seat. It's not like you can wander through the carriages and find someone to ask. It's totally rammed.

I have seen cases where someone will take it upon themselves to push through to the seats and suggest the person in the 'disabled and pregnant' seat give up their seat. Which they do happily once they see a pregnant person. I ordered mine last week. I'm feeling ok at 17 weeks, but once I need it I will wear it.

[somedizzywhore1804]

I'm 31 weeks pregnant and it's clear to see. I was on a very packed district line and then metropolitan line train yesterday and no one offered me a seat- in fact a lot of people avoided my gaze to boot.

[Lizzy1975]

They are very, very common on trains and tubes - if you're outside of London you probably won't have seen them. I had one with my first pregnancy and often got offered a seat, also often ignored. I haven't bothered this time around - things have changed and everyone has their head down in a book / their phones and would rarely notice I would imagine. They certainly don't notice my enormous twins- bump.

I would wear yours as soon as you want to - you don't need to be huge to be in need of a seat and quite often the early weeks can be the hardest on a long commute.

As for those suggesting you just ask for a seat if you need one. That's all very well but I have asked on a number of occasions and have been declined - sometimes politely, fair enough - but also been asked if I think I'm special because I'm pregnant; that I'm pregnant not ill; and once told to fuck off. I spent the rest of these journeys hot with embarrassment and can certainly appreciate why a badge is a better alternative!