Car parking spaces when heavily pregnant - what's the MN consensus?

[RememberingMyPFEs]

I know P&C parking is a contentious subject on MN but I'm curious what the 'right' thing is in tho scenario.

I'm 32 weeks pregnant, measuring >36 and have mild SPD. The car has bucket seats so to get my legs out together and squeeze bump through I need to open the door all the way. Clearly unless I happen to find a spot at the far righthand end of a row I struggle. I tend to find a double space as far away as possible, park appropriately but in the lh bay so I am get out easily but 99% of the time I return and someone's parked in the other bay (fair enough).

The problem I then have is I really can't get back into the car sometimes. Today I am having a milkshake of the very defrosted B&J ice cream and wondering what to do with 5kg of over chips as it was 45 mins in hot sun before the other driver returned. AIBU to even think about using P&C spaces for the next 8 weeks?

Oven* chips, clearly. Tho I will be over them shortly

Home delivery is your friend here.

I wouldn't care if you used a P&C space. Then again, I wouldn't care if anyone who genuinely needed one of those spaces used one, whether they were a parent or not.

You are a parent.
You have a child with you.
You need the access space.
YANBU.

Since P&C spaces are a courtesy/marketing ploy, not a right, I agree with Jinsei.

Agree with Pelvic, or send someone else to the shops. Use the P&C if you want but just avoid the cat's bum mouths all around.

Use the P&C space.

Yup with jinsei! Use them if u can :)

Some places have Mother to Be spaces with a stork painted in them. In my town we don't even have P&C spaces.

I was told when I had a broken ankle to use the P&C spaces. We did.

I think you have a right to use one, as you have a child under 5, albeit still inside you. I certainly wouldn;t be brave enough to confront you, for fear of hormones making you attack me!!

Use them - I would. You have a genuine issue, but don't have a disabled badge, so P&C spaces it is. I certainly wouldn't begrudge you using them.

I'm 39 weeks pregnant, waddling and ready to drop! We use the P&C spaces (have done for a couple of weeks now), I've only had pitying looks from other shoppers / knowing smiles and no grief. HTH. Good luck and sorry to hear about the SPD.

Mamma I've not had much pregnarage, maybe I can practice
Pelvic (great NN BTW) I am thinking about the delivery option tbh cos its getting to be hard blummin work!

Thanks all, I was expecting a harder time and a lot of YABU tbh...
Will pluck up courage for P&C spot next time and try to rise above any judgey pants looks I get!!

I always thought P&C spaces were for when pregnant as well. I certainly wouldn't think anything if I saw you park in one. I also wouldn't give two hoots if you took up 2 car parking spaces either (although I know I'm in the minority with that one). I wouldn't be happy having to wait 45 minutes until the other driver came back so I'd take measures to avoid that situation as much as possible.

I used them too when I was massive.

I was dying for someone to challenge me tbf. :)

Thanks formerly good to know

I used to use the p&c spaces when I was pregnant and had spd.

I used to have to swivel my whole body and move both of my feet out together. It was physically impossible for me to use a 'normal' space as I couldn't get out at all due to lack of space.

I even used a disabled space once in a small supermarket when there were no p&c spaces available and I had to sto p to use the toilet :o

Use them! I've used them with my blue badge on the rare occasion all the disabled spaces were full and I used them while waiting to be approved for my blue badge. I don't give two shiny shits if I was/am judged.

Just use them. You need them more than most people I see parking in them do.

I really couldn't care less who uses these spaces

But just remember if a parent is struggling with a trolley full of shopping and two small kids to get in and out of car seats (as so many seem to do on MN)...you can't expect her to know you have mild SPD and an unsuitable car.

YANBU
Parent and child spaces have no basis in law, they are just a curtesy.

I can see no reason why heavenly PG shouldn't use them.

Likewise, I can't see why adults or children with leg casts, knee braces and other temporary reasons to need to fully open their car doors shouldn't.

The only people who will notice are parents and we've all been there and know you can't get out in a normal space. You're far enough along that it'll be clear why you are using it. I can't see a problem.
I wish I drove when I was pg, I would have used them.

Seriously, unless you have twins, your older DC can scramble into their car seat and you can back out slowly and sort straps. P&C parking is nice, but not essential.

Totally with you, OP. I got blocked out of my car a few times while heavily pg (or heavenly pg, as startail suggests!). I would not begrudge a pg lady using a parent and child space at all. (But massively do look daggers at perfectly healthy gentleman parking at an angle over two of the spaces just because he has a big posh car. Feck off to Waitrose, nobber! )