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Original poster

Is it ok to use parent and child spaces at 27 weeks pregnant?

131 replies

dogmumma90 · 30/10/2024 17:26

There have been a few times recently where my husband has had to move my car out of parking spaces, because the car next to me has parked too close and I can't get in.

I have a large car and always park sensibly and carefully, but people seem to come along and park close to me, so I then can't get back in the car because I'm 27 weeks pregnant. In one case I was there alone and a very kind stranger had to move my car out of the space for me because I couldn't get in!

I hate to take up a parent and child space for someone who actually has a young child with them, but would I be unreasonable to start using one of these spaces now?

OP posts:
Kool4katz · 30/10/2024 20:25

Work away.
Anyone can park in a parent & child space. There's no legislation governing their use unlike Disabled parking spaces.

anicecuppateaa · 30/10/2024 20:24

I feel harsh saying this - if you can walk well (and don’t have spd etc), please just park further away in the car park where this are plenty of spaces and walk. P&C spaces are there to safely get small children in and out of the car/ car seats and there are often only a handful, if any, at each shop.

Boohoo76 · 30/10/2024 20:24

Lifestooshort71 · 30/10/2024 17:57

She said she struggled to get out of the car because the one next to her had parked too close - presumably that was because of her baby bump? So, if that bump had been because she was OVERWEIGHT, what would be the difference?

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Maybe she’d enter through the passenger door and climb over like I’ve had to do on occasion as a result of idiots parking so close to me that I can’t get in the drivers side…but I don’t think that’s sensible when heavily pregnant.

Original poster
dogmumma90 · 30/10/2024 20:23

misszebra · 30/10/2024 20:16

my god they are really clutching at straws OP 😂

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I was only looking for a bit of advice on whether it would be morally ok 😂 I wasn't expecting my ability to figure out end spaces to come under fire! 😂

OP posts:
Original poster
dogmumma90 · 30/10/2024 20:22

itsgettingweird · 30/10/2024 20:20

Lol, it was an end space... In an end space there's a space on one side of the car, but not both.

So park on the end that means your side won't be blocked in.

Seriously it's really not that hard to figure out.

Answered this already, but cheers.

OP posts:
itsgettingweird · 30/10/2024 20:22

I always reverse in to spaces. If there's a wall/tree/hedge on that side it's impossible to get close in to that side with the driver's door?

So pick another space.

Parenting requires a hell of a lot of critical thinking and problem solving - you may as well start now!!!

RichPetunia · 30/10/2024 20:21

I would have no problem with you using a mother and child parking space.

itsgettingweird · 30/10/2024 20:20

Lol, it was an end space... In an end space there's a space on one side of the car, but not both.

So park on the end that means your side won't be blocked in.

Seriously it's really not that hard to figure out.

pizzaHeart · 30/10/2024 20:18

Lifestooshort71 · 30/10/2024 17:39

That's the problem with big cars isn't it? If you were overweight instead of pregnant where would you park? Personally I'd look to park further away if possible.

That’s the interesting point^ but pregnancy works differently than being overweight. OP has got a big car before pregnancy and she can’t swap it for a smaller one for a couple of months.

User79853257976 · 30/10/2024 20:18

itsmabeline · 30/10/2024 18:17

Yes, use them.

You're not "ok to walk" any more than someone with a baby or child is.

Well actually it’s not about the walking. OP has said it’s about the space. It is safer for people with young children to have the pavement nearby etc.

itsgettingweird · 30/10/2024 20:17

In one of our local shopping centres the blue badge spaces are across a road. The P and C are directly outside the shops. If I go with DS the spaces directly outside the shop are much safer and easier for him. So we park in them with his blue badge.

Don't blame you.

Same here. And why is a baby in a pram any less safe than my ds in his wheelchair or crutches with only one leg?

Also my local Aldi has 5 BB spaces and is free so everyone visiting town and the dentists with a BB parks there. There is 18 P and C spaces.

My ds cannot get out of the car unless he has the wide space. It's Combe isn't to be able to take your pushchair to the car door.

It's necessary for my ds to be able to wheel his wheelchair there!

TheGoogleMum · 30/10/2024 20:16

happytobee · 30/10/2024 19:38

Just to throw another opinion out there, if heavily pregnant is acceptable for P&C at what point is it okay for someone morbidly obese to use a P&C or a disabled space due to not being able to get into their car if someone parks to close? The real issue is more down to spaces being too small, people not parking considerately, less people walking / using public transport and cars getting bigger, I don’t know what the answer is to these issues is though

As a fat person who has been pregnant it is different, fat squishes, baby bumps don't

misszebra · 30/10/2024 20:16

dogmumma90 · 30/10/2024 20:15

I always reverse in to spaces. If there's a wall/tree/hedge on that side it's impossible to get close in to that side with the driver's door?

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my god they are really clutching at straws OP 😂

msmatcha · 30/10/2024 20:16

Yes use them if you need space to open the car door extra wide - I did!

TossedSaladandSE · 30/10/2024 20:16

Yes of course

Original poster
dogmumma90 · 30/10/2024 20:15

Suzuki70 · 30/10/2024 20:14

But surely you park in an end space with the driver's door on the end side?! Reverse in if you have to.

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I always reverse in to spaces. If there's a wall/tree/hedge on that side it's impossible to get close in to that side with the driver's door?

OP posts:
Suzuki70 · 30/10/2024 20:14

dogmumma90 · 30/10/2024 20:11

Lol, it was an end space... In an end space there's a space on one side of the car, but not both.

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But surely you park in an end space with the driver's door on the end side?! Reverse in if you have to.

misszebra · 30/10/2024 20:13

happytobee · 30/10/2024 19:38

Just to throw another opinion out there, if heavily pregnant is acceptable for P&C at what point is it okay for someone morbidly obese to use a P&C or a disabled space due to not being able to get into their car if someone parks to close? The real issue is more down to spaces being too small, people not parking considerately, less people walking / using public transport and cars getting bigger, I don’t know what the answer is to these issues is though

it would be okay for someone morbidley obese to use a p&c spot if they were either pregnant, or with their child... clue in the name. it would also be okay for them to use a disabled spot IF they had a blue badge - it is against the law otherwise. not sure why this needed elaborating youd think its quite obvious

Original poster
dogmumma90 · 30/10/2024 20:11

itsgettingweird · 30/10/2024 20:11

It wasn't an end space if someone parked next to you!!! End space is the space at the end where no one can park next to you.

I've had to do this plenty of times with my disabled ds when all disabled spaces and P and c spaces are taken up - often with people without BB, without small children or without any children!

But that's the way of the world nowadays.

If I had a Penny for every person in a BB space "just going to be 5 mins as picking someone up" and thinking their convenience trumps the inconvenience of disability I could afford to build my own car park 😂

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Lol, it was an end space... In an end space there's a space on one side of the car, but not both.

OP posts:
TheGoogleMum · 30/10/2024 20:11

A visibly pregnant woman using one of these spaces wouldn't bother me, I had to sometimes in my pregnancies near the end as there was no way of squeezing in.

itsgettingweird · 30/10/2024 20:11

dogmumma90 · 30/10/2024 18:10

To clarify, I do always try to park far away from the store and in end spaces if possible. Unfortunately that was exactly what I'd done when I was somewhere alone, got back to the car and someone had parked their (even bigger) car on the white line and I had to hang around waiting for them to come back before I could get in.

It wasn't an end space if someone parked next to you!!! End space is the space at the end where no one can park next to you.

I've had to do this plenty of times with my disabled ds when all disabled spaces and P and c spaces are taken up - often with people without BB, without small children or without any children!

But that's the way of the world nowadays.

If I had a Penny for every person in a BB space "just going to be 5 mins as picking someone up" and thinking their convenience trumps the inconvenience of disability I could afford to build my own car park 😂

Mam89 · 30/10/2024 20:08

I actually think this is a situation where you think you need to use them now, but when you have the baby with the car seat, pram, trolley etc you’ll realise you didn’t really.

Original poster
dogmumma90 · 30/10/2024 20:07

@Lifeonttheedgggge It never occurred to me to use those spaces either until a family member suggested I use one if there are a few available, after I parked in an end space at the opposite end of the car park to the shops, and came back to my car unable to get in because someone had parked on the white line next to me, and I was left hanging around for 20 minutes for them to get back to their car because I couldn't squidge the bump through the barely-existent gap 😅

OP posts:
Lifeonttheedgggge · 30/10/2024 20:04

I have only ever used parent and child spaces when I have my child with me. To be honest, it never occurred to me to use them when pregnant but I never had the problem of not being able to get back in my car - does it really happen a lot? (Like someone else said - what do overweight people do!?) I would just park further away if possible and leave the space for someone with a baby/child.

Cookiecrumblepie · 30/10/2024 20:00

I think if a space is for parents with children, that’s who the space is predominantly for. You can walk and avoid traffic etc easier as you don’t have children who scurry around and a pram to deal with. I would park further away so parents with children aren’t left without a space which is really meant for them.