Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is it ok to use parent and child parking when heavily pregnant

163 replies

Karigan195 · 15/07/2019 14:47

Exactly that really. At 34 weeks. Had several instances of people parking next to me and then not being able to open my car door enough to get in. So far my tricks have been to just park well away from everyone but still had to clamber over passenger seats and on one memorable occasion over the back seats when I could only get in through the sliding door. Obviously all the above is getting harder so would it be unreasonable to just say sod it and park in parent and child?

OP posts:
WhenOneFacePalmDoesntCutIt · 15/07/2019 16:01

When you have had the baby, you might find a different perspective on this,

as it will be the same baby that she won't be able to squeeze in one way or another, there's no different perspective to have! The baby is there. You don't expect the OP to crawl through the boot to get into her car do you?

SoupDragon · 15/07/2019 16:02

could you find two ordinary spaces and park in the middle of them? When you have had the baby, you might find a different perspective on this, when you can’t find a P&C parking space, and struggle to get the baby and the car seat out of the car.

Then surely the person with the baby and car seat can simply park in the middle of two ordinary spaces. How is it any different?

Anyway the rules usually state you have to park in a marked bay.

chocpop · 15/07/2019 16:02

I thought this was going to be someone totally unreasonable but it's absolutely fine OP. I used them a few times when I was 37 and 38 weeks! Go ahead :)

NameChangeNugget · 15/07/2019 16:04

Just do it.

I doubt there’s any enforcement of it anyway

Bloodycats · 15/07/2019 16:07

I don’t mind.
Pregnant is different to obese too. Obese is just lots of fat whereas pregnancy really affects your hips etc, making it harder to turn and twist out.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 15/07/2019 16:09

It's easier to get a baby, even in a car seat, into a tight space than a pregnancy bump, if driving (not if someone else is driving and can pull out of the space). With children there is always another option to get them in the car, even if just for 30secs to get out of the space.

missbattenburg · 15/07/2019 16:10

Anyone who resents a 34 week pregnant lady using a parent & child parking space needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror to see if they can work out why they are such a tit.

Jaxhog · 15/07/2019 16:10

Do it. You are technically a parent and child, after all!

Branleuse · 15/07/2019 16:10

Definitely fine.
Id say more necessary at late pregnancy than at any other time tbh

happydays00 · 15/07/2019 16:13

I haven't considered this before but am currently 8 months pregnant and got stuck trying to get into my car last week (because they had parked so close to my car) so I think yes, it's probably ok.

When I had my 2 year old DD with me the week before I also had to climb into the passenger side to get her into her car seat as there was literally no room for me to lean in to do up her straps. I really wish there was just more room as standard in car parks!

TroubleWithNargles · 15/07/2019 16:14

Oh definitely. I was the size of an aircraft hangar, there was no way I could have got in or out of the car parked in a normal space.

Kungfupanda67 · 15/07/2019 16:14

I had spd so had to open the door fully to get in and out (you have to keep your knees together and spin, rather than putting one leg after the other). Spd also makes walking incredibly difficult and painful, so no parking miles away wouldn’t work. Use the parent and child, no one with a young child would begrudge it

WaterOffaDucksCrack · 15/07/2019 16:16

The supermarkets round here specify they're for parents with young children and pregnant women.

Sindragosan · 15/07/2019 16:18

A dick parked in one of these spaces with a dog in the back (no child) and sat and ate his lunch. The spaces are abused by so many I'd have no objection to a heavily pregnant woman using them, at least there is a baby involved.

TappyTin · 15/07/2019 16:19

I'd have no issue with obese people using a p&c space. If it makes life easier for them to get in and out of their car then why shouldn't they use it? It's just not something worth moaning about really. Although I can actually imagine some very sad and bored people who hope they can spot someone to shout at on their weekly trip to Asda.

foreverhanging · 15/07/2019 16:20

I'd say it was fine op

WhenOneFacePalmDoesntCutIt · 15/07/2019 16:25

If it makes life easier for them to get in and out of their car then why shouldn't they use it?

because these spaces are not designed to make everybody's life easier, or to protect their cars Hmm

Fraggling · 15/07/2019 16:29

I'd say fine too
And esp when the whole wobbly hips thing kicks in

Agree with others that online supermarket shop is way to go, I started when pg dc1, been doing it 12 years now

NeurotrashWarrior · 15/07/2019 16:30

Oh god I did!

Somersetlady · 15/07/2019 16:30

I’d rather see you using a space than someone with chunky 8 or 9 year olds OP

I think they should be baby and toddler spaces really including baby visibly on board!

PurpleDaisies · 15/07/2019 16:31

Those spaces should be for anyone who struggles to get into and out of their car, for example disabled but no blue badge.

I don’t think make reasonable people would have a problem with you parking there op.

Pythonesque · 15/07/2019 16:31

Agree with wateroffaduckscrack, when mine were small Tescos specified pregnant women and children under 5 (and you could get a dashboard sticker for their "baby and child club" that asked you to write in 5 years from the birth of the baby IIRC).

Oddly enough, I still park near the parent parking section in our local Tescos, it had become such a habit to turn that direction and is quite convenient.

Sirzy · 15/07/2019 16:32

It’s quite sad that people take issue with people making their life easier! I would be surprised that people would resent a heavily pregnant woman parking someone easy to access but as I have had abuse for parking with disabled ds in one nothing shocks me anymore.

Too many people are just too selfish to see beyond the end of their nose and be able to see that actually other people may have needs too!

Greyhound22 · 15/07/2019 16:35

I have no issue at all with you using the parent and child spaces OP and I can get fairly arsey with people who shouldn't be using them.

I couldn't walk when I was 34 weeks.

tisonlymeagain · 15/07/2019 16:36

I did and will again.

And I dare anyone to argue with a grumpy 9 month pregnant me!

Swipe left for the next trending thread