to feel absolutely disgusted by what just happened on the bus?

[BreastmilkDoesAFabLatte]

On the bus with DH, toddler DD (19 months) in pushchair and newborn DS (17 days) in sling. Travelling through bog standard, middle class suburbia.

As we board, bus driver snaps that we'll either have to fold the pushchair or get off now. As we're fumbling to fold the pushchair whilst clinging onto a tired and wailing DD, other passangers are elbowing past and paying no attention to DS whom I'm trying to protect, and the bus driver is shouting at me to hurry up.

Nobody at all offers DH or DD a seat, and the only person to offer me one is a woman of at least 70.

Having an ashamed-to-be-British moment.

Noo Gwendoline - they are only for young fabulous people reading the FT and going to their fab London jobs

or possibly Grazia

Poor you. Sounds awful. I hope you get some sleep soon.

Just think though- those who shove will get shoved one day and then realise they deserved it for being such a prick all their lives.

Many London buses can't, just can't, take an unfolded buggy if the bus is crowded. It's not physically possible. Two is almost always impossible. That's the way the bus was designed.

And you can't expect people already on to get off for you. And other posters have pointed out that wheelchairs take priority.

But my mother taught me when I was knee-high to a grass-hopper to give up my seat for those who need it more - such as pregnant women - and it would not occur to me not to. She also taught me that any woman has a claim to a seat over any able-bodied man but that has rightly gone by the board - at 59 I am older than most rush-hour passengers and I regard gender as irrelevant.

Andrew - did your mum teach you to say thankyou to the bus driver when you get off? Mine did. They always look a bit surprised.

''If you can afford a baby you can afford a car.''

I always say thank-you even to the horrible ones. Its a habit.

I was trying not to be critical, I guess what I'm trying to say is as it is uabu, a few people will say uabu as a matter of course. But the people who have come on the thread to dismiss everyone who's posted as pretty much a bitch aren't helping.

I have every sympathy for Fab, I have to use the bus too, but I'm not keen on being classed as a bitch because I said I'd be uncertain as to whether to help as there were two of them.

I always give up my seat, my 8 year old ds gives up his seat and I regularly stand whilst toddler wrestling but I didn't post that as it's not about whether the op can or can't manage alone or with help.

Also Nesta I have just read the thread and realised I should never try and finish posting whilst trying to explain to my mother how to get to the planner on sky tv

.....sorry

Jamie: she did and they do. But in London you often get out at the middle of the bus so you can't.

Honey - I can'r remember many people saying that though. I can't be arsed to read 8 pages to check, mind you

'''If you can afford a baby you can afford a car.''

So, you are from the same school of parenting as my sister? Our baby cost us almost nothing, but then she had very little equipment and her wardrobe choices were limited. She didn't seem to care.

oh and it should've read aren't helpful

Andrew - I make sure I get out the front of the bendy ones. Or shout. Nah, not really

Jamie, it was two posters who said similar earlier on. The viper comment being one.

OK. "Nest of vipers" pushes buttons.

I was sympathetic until I realised that your DH was with you. how hard is it to get on a bus with a buggy and two dcs with two adults without inconveniencing others?? Why on earth would you expect anyone to offer your DH a seat??

OP YANBU.

I always get on the bus with my buggy unfolded if there is room and no I don't fold it down unless I have to.

All you people that made these comments about new mums should stay at home and not use public transport. Honestly. I tried to see it from your point of view, but I just could not get my head that far up my arse!!!!!

"Why on earth would you expect anyone to offer your DH a seat??"

zookeeper - because he was in charge of a 19 month old!

I would offer a seat to someone who is disabled, elderly, pregnant or carrying a baby but not an able bodied man with a toddler.

JamieAgain

"I would offer a seat to someone who is disabled, elderly, pregnant or carrying a baby but not an able bodied man with a toddler."

I would, sometimes they fall all over the place and the crying if they're sleepy is abit much.

Zookeeper, the answer is that it's easy peasy the third time you do it, and tricky but doable the second time, but the first time you do it, sleep deprived, it's a bit of a bugger.
Which is why the OP is NBU for being a bit crap, but the people on the bus are also NBU for not realising they were struggling.

I certainly wouldn't if his dw was there faffing around with the buggy whilst thinking it was disgusting that noone was offering him a seat.

I thought he was doing the buggy as well as supervising the toddler?