To think it wasn’t wrong of me to use a parent & child parking space?

[AngeloMysterioso]

At a supermarket today- I didn’t have my DC with me, however I am 6 1/2 months pregnant with DC3 and suffering with what I have come to refer to as “arse daggers” - very painful shooting pains in my glutes that leave me hobbling in a most inelegant manner by the end of the day.
The parking spaces in the car park are very narrow, to the point where I struggle to fit myself and my bump out of the door and it was all getting a bit ridiculous, so today I decided to park in one of the P&C spaces (of which there are many, and I didn’t take the last empty one) so that I wouldn’t have to squeeze out of the door and would have less distance to painfully shuffle into the shop.
Afterwards I was putting my shopping in my car when I was accosted by some absolute cowbag who berated me for taking a P&C space even though I didn’t have a child with me. I pointed out the obvious, bump, mobility problems, plenty of spaces to go round, and she said I still had no right to park there and potentially deprive someone with a child of a space. At this point I decided not to bother engaging and just got in my car and left.

Was I BU?

You were "wrong" to use it but I wouldn't have batted an eyelid

I think you were fine parking there. Sounds like you have sciatica. It’s awful. Sympathies.

You are literally "with child".

7 is not really a very young child though. 7 yr olds can reliably follow instructions. Where I am living there are no P&C spaces and it is horrible trying to go to the shops with my 1 year old and putting her on the pavement and telling her not to move hoping she won't sprint out in front of a car while I faff about with shopping bags. We manage, but it is genuinely quite risky.

Tricky. In theory you were being unreasonable for using a space you didn’t technically qualify for. However, anyone who challenges a visibly pregnant woman for use of a child related space is probably a bit of a twat. Don’t overthink it, hope you feel better soon.

Why would you leave a one year old on the pavement while you faff with bags why not leave her in the car, or in the trolley, while you faff?

a p and c space wouldn’t make leaving a one year old stood in a car park any safer!

The woman was just looking to throw her weight around. YANBU.
I wonder if she didn't see you were pregnant but then didn't want to back down.
Either way, I wouldn't waste any time worrying about her.

What on earth did she think you were carrying?! Of course heavily pregnant women should be using those spaces. Can't believe the plus size people think this includes them too, quite bizarre.

I'd say it's absolutely fine. The main benefit of p&c spaces in my experience is the extra door opening room for getting car seats out or getting kids strapped in, and you need that extra space at the moment.

The woman sounds like a simpleton. Parent and child spaces are to ensure the parent can safely get the child out of the car, which is exactly what you were doing! I did the same when heavily pregnant, my bump was huge, no way could I get out in tight normal packing spaces, I needed the extra space to fully open the door and safely exit.

I was about to say the same thing. If your child is sat safely in the car or trolley or pushchair - faff and then move them. Same in reverse; first put child in trolley, pushchair or car; then faff.

Exactly.

P and c spaces aren't meant to be a replacement for common sense parenting 🤦‍♀️🤣🤣

This happened to me once after I met my DD with her child. When I arrived at the shopping centre I had my DGC in the car with me. We met, had lunch and my DD took her child home with her.

I was shouted at by a bloke for using the space. I told him I had a child plus paraphernalia in the car when I arrived so mind your own business.

I never use the spaces without a child but if I really needed to that would be my reply. I either had a child when I arrived or when I leave. I don’t know of any stores that enforce them.

She said there were many and she didn't take the last one.
Was she expected to count them?

I couldn't care less if you parked in P&C space, and I say this as a parent to 5 children. My children can walk the distance of a car park with no trouble, it doesn't sound like you can, so you're welcome to the space. I find the people who get so het up about these space so ridiculous, it's not the end of the world if you have to park elsewhere! At my local Tesco, there are 8 P&C spaces, chances are there are going to be more families than that there, so someone is going to have to, God forbid, park in a normal space. Oh no.
Ignore the moaners, carry on, and all the best for the rest of your pregnancy.

It’s not actually ‘wrong’ for a pregnant woman to use a P&C space. So people need to stop saying that, unless the signage above the spaces says ‘families with children under 12 only, not pregnant women.’

It’s actually up to the discretion of the private car park owner, i.e. the supermarket. And if a pregnant woman approached and asked to use the space, there isn’t a supermarket in the land which would say no, unless they really don’t give a shit about PR….

I think it's a sorry state of affairs that anyone would question a heavily pregnant woman using this space.
Tbh I think she should have more right to use it than a mum with an 10 year old child

I haven’t read all the responses but I think it’s fine. As a mum of two young DC even if you’d taken the last spot I just couldn’t find it in myself to get worked up or begrudge you using it if I could see you were pregnant and in discomfort and even if someone disagreed with it I don’t think it they should have berated you in the car park.

I think you are changing your story a bit here. Honestly I have never seen a supermarket car park with 20+ P&C spaces and definitely never one with most of those spaces empty.

I don't have children, so I have never tried to use one of their spaces, but I do roll my eyes when I see somebody exiting their car with a 14 year old. I currently have had chronic back pain since March and it is a struggle to get out of my car, but I still would not dream of using a P&C space. They are there for the safety of children, not the comfort of adults without children. That said, I wouldn't have said anything.

I have just had a quick look at google satellite view for my local Asda. They have 24 p and c spaces. Other than at Christmas I have never seen them all full.

No you shouldn't have parked there, fat people manage to squeeze out of cars and plenty of people who have broken ligaments manage not to park in a disabled bay due to their temporary issue.

I think you're fine. They're for people who need more space because of children. That's you. They're also just a courtesy, so not like disabled spaces.

YABU. Exercise is beneficial for this. To prevent buttock pain in pregnancy it is recommended to stay active and have some gentle exercise to keep your muscles supple.

I think it's fine and I think the majority of parents who might need the space would not begrudge a pregnant woman, considering they too were likely either one, or knew one not long ago. I have 2 small kids and wouldn't bat an eyelid as a pregnant woman using a P&c space!

AS someone who used to work for Tesco, i can assure you, the P & C spaces ARE for pregnant women as well.

I was pregnant with both of mine while i worked there, i had SPD/PGP with the second and was on crutches from 20wks pregnant.. i was TOLD to use them like i was crazy for even assuming i shouldn't.

Carry on.

(they dont mind you using them if you're temp disabled either ftr)