To park in parent & child heavily pregnant?

[inks10]

Just done this as I'm heavily pregnant and really, really struggling to walk.

Cue disgusted looks from another parent who was obviously with their child which made me feel really guilty and as though I shouldn't have parked there. There were no other spaces close to the entry of the shop.

AIBU? 😩

No, of course you are not being unreasonable.
Ignore and hold your head high.

of course you can. you have a child with you

Wouldn’t bother me at all a heavily pregnant woman parking in the parent and child spaces.

Seeing a middle-aged man with no children park in the last parent and child space at the supermarket last week and confidently stroll out with no child in tow however did bother me!!

Park there. Don't look at anyone else. If anyone says anything, tell them to take it up with Customer Services and walk/waddle away.

I used to when heavily pregnant with DS. I drove an old classic mini at the time and needed the extra space to open the door as wide as possible to haul myself out. You could bet your life some tit would park right next to me if I used a normal space.

I always thought the point of the parent and child spaces was to allow more room to open doors and maneuver with children and accessories (prams etc.).

I think it is perfectly justified to use those spaces when heavily pregnant. Ignore the judge-y people!

Perfectly reasonable IMO. You can't easily use the normal spaces (probably less easily than someone with a child TBH!) and you are struggling to walk.

I think that's definitely ok to use those spots in this situation, It really cheeses me off to see people without kids in them though though are seemingly just being lazy. You do have your child with you, they are just still inside your body!

Absolutely fine. My judgemental looks are saved for the men parking there with 10 year olds who can get themselves in and strap their own belt. I’ve never seen a woman do this.

Maybe you’re being a bit paranoid.

A “disgusted “ look from another woman could have easily been her looking over and wondering in her head where you got that jumper from you’re wearing.

In reality most people don’t give a shit about who parks in P & C spaces.

No it wouldn't bother me if I saw a heavily pregnant woman using a P&C space imo they are there to make parents of young children's lives easier and technically you have a young child that's not quite hatched yet.

Not a problem. After all you technically do have a child with you and if heavily pregnant need the extra space to get out. I also don't bat an eye at elderly people who use them. The people I do tend to be alone men who rock up roaring in there expensive car and just swan in quite happily not giving a crap.

I am pregnant at the moment and really struggled to get in and out of the car as the spaces are so small. I would not give a moment's thought for a pregnant lady in a P&C space.

its fine. Anyway, you do have a child with you. It’s the people parking there with no children at all who are the problem, especially when they take the last space.

Our local Asda specifically states on the signs that their P&C spaces can be used by expectant mothers. Frankly I felt like I needed the space more in my third tri than I do now that DD is 8 months!
Go right ahead and use it.

I did. There was a woman who couldn't see my enormous bump who was screaming and shouting at me from her car.

Be prepared for the horrible people to say something.

I found it easier to get a toddler out of the car in a normal space than getting my own pregnant self out of the car in the same space! For one thing... I couldn't just get in the other side if it was a bit tight. Secondly, toddlers are skinnier than pregnant women!

Use it now while you need it. And if you don't need it when your child is 3 or 4... stop using it then. Dont wait until the signs say its unacceptable.

Given that once I had to ask a complete stranger to back my car out of a normal parking space, because the car next to my door had parked close by and I couldn't get my ridiculously enormous bump into the gap, no, I wouldn't judge you at all!!

It’s fine. I shopped at most of the big supermarkets when heavily pregnant with my first. I actually called Asda, Morrisons and Tesco to check though. Every single one said to park there.

With my second I just parked there.

I had to open my car door fully to get in/ out. A huge bump, short legs and SPD were a difficult combination.

I stopped using them at 8 months pg because I could no longer fit into the driver's seat and had to stop driving!

I also had to use disabled toilets both for the hand rails and to be able to turn and shut the door.

Second time round I had a toddler and crutches anyway.

This was me. I’m not having any more 😂

Jeepers, it’s harder to schlepp around with a human living in your tummy than outside. You got there first… too bad.

I don't drive and I don't have children, so I'm probably not the best judge of these things, but I think you'd need a heart of stone to object to a heavily pregnant woman using a parent and child space. Apart from needing enough space to squeeze in and out of the car with a massive baby bump, I'm guessing that most women by that late stage have sore hips and a rotten backache and frankly just need everyone to cut them some bloody slack!

I was even offered use of a mobility scooter by the trolley man second time round, but I'd reached the point of hoping that a nice strenous stagger across the car park and 3 aisles of supermarket might trigger labour 😂

I've done easier 20 mile runs since.

Use it!
I get annoyed at van man with no kids in the parent child parking while I struggle with my ASD 4 year old at the end of the lot, but a heavily pregnant woman?! I wouldn't blink, you are carrying a precious child so of course you should use it.