Is it ok to use parent and child spaces at 27 weeks pregnant?

[dogmumma90]

There have been a few times recently where my husband has had to move my car out of parking spaces, because the car next to me has parked too close and I can't get in.

I have a large car and always park sensibly and carefully, but people seem to come along and park close to me, so I then can't get back in the car because I'm 27 weeks pregnant. In one case I was there alone and a very kind stranger had to move my car out of the space for me because I couldn't get in!

I hate to take up a parent and child space for someone who actually has a young child with them, but would I be unreasonable to start using one of these spaces now?

Pregnant women need them more than parents of older kids imo!

Fat can be squashed to fit in smaller spaces - a pregnant bump is rock hard and can't be squashed down to fit in small spaces

*Meant to quote a poster saying what's the diff between overweight and pregnant using the spaces

Nope, no problem getting out of my car.

I face issues when I get back to the car and someone has basically parked on the white line and I can't open the door wide enough to get back in.

That's true.

It might be good if these car parks started doing larger spaces but at the furthest point from the store. So accommodating big cars, pregnancy, overweight but not taking up valuable close to the store/path space.

To clarify, I do always try to park far away from the store and in end spaces if possible. Unfortunately that was exactly what I'd done when I was somewhere alone, got back to the car and someone had parked their (even bigger) car on the white line and I had to hang around waiting for them to come back before I could get in.

I started using them at 32 weeks after I lost my shit the week before when I couldn’t get out of the car, so parked further away and then someone parked next to me and I couldn’t get in the car at that space. Parking further away is all well and good if nobody parks next to you. Personally I struggled to push the trolley full of stuff further away too as it was heavy.
I think go for it but be ready as there is always someone who thinks they have a right to poke their nose in and say it’s not for you etc etc. I don’t engage and ignore, they aren’t judge and jury of the car park rules!
Ps I’ve now purchased an annual shopping delivery pass so now I don’t even have to go the supermarket as long as I can spend £40 I can have a delivery any day or time of the week! Well worth the investment! 😂

Exactly! I’m chunky / fat 😳 but my weight is distributed evenly and nothing would come to harm by squeezing. I’d hate to think a pregnant woman with a big bump was uncomfortable and potentially hurt her back or whatever - it’s a courtesy space so she should use it!

because it is a parent and child parking spot...

Yes, use them.

You're not "ok to walk" any more than someone with a baby or child is.

I am a BB holder and I don't agree with BB holders using P&C spaces. These spaces have been specifically allocated to help parents navigate a busy car park with young children/babies in carriers etc in a safer environment and yes, I believe this also applies to pregnant women, especially first timers who are finding the whole pregnancy journey more overwhelming.
If all the BB spaces are full then there is no hardship in just waiting for one to come free. I appreciate that the P&C spaces are not enforceable, but that does not make it right or entitle other drivers to use them.

I'm definitely going to be doing all my Christmas shopping (food, presents, the lot) online this year, I can only imagine how low my patience will be by then 😂

Who else would they be for??

Absolutely, when you are pregnant you need more space, can be tired, struggle with back pain etc, so I think it's entirely appropriate for you to use one of these, especially if lots available.

I do also get fed up of these tanks parking up to the white line. The car parks where the actual spaces are smaller but they have a marked gap between each car are so much better, they encourage people to park more considerately (most of the time). I have a disability which means I find it harder to get out the car, but not quite hard enough to qualify for a blue badge, and also really struggle when these huge cars park too close.

Parent and child parking spaces are never enforced, they are in my opinion a sop to planners or something to say how nice the supermarket is.

I doubt you will have an issue. If only having an SUV was made more difficult so that there would be fewer of them.

In one of our local shopping centres the blue badge spaces are across a road. The P and C are directly outside the shops. If I go with DS the spaces directly outside the shop are much safer and easier for him. So we park in them with his blue badge.

I also wouldn’t drive around waiting for a blue badge space to be free if there was a perfectly good space available in the form of P and C

I tut at people parking in disabled bays without a badge.

I wouldn't bay an eye at a heavily pregnant women parking in the parent and child area.

If anyone says anything just tell them about the day you couldn't get into your car cause there isn't enough room.

I was using P&C spaces by then. The SPD was kicking in so additional walking was getting painful, and no chance of getting in through the side. I'm short so there was little spare space between me and the steering wheel from early on and I had to stop driving at 36 weeks when my bump was rubbing the steering wheel and it was too dangerous to risk driving in the sustained poor weather that lasted the next month.

Car size wasn't the issue, it was a mid-size 2000s car.

I also had to use disabled toilets from 6m so I could shut the door, and the grips were very useful for getting myself up and down off the seat.

By 27 weeks, I was outgrowing a lot of my maternity clothes.

As someone who has been in your position absolutely go for it! I was worried what people would say but I caused myself huge inconvenience because of it.

Honestly, the amount of huge obnoxious cars driven by people without small kids in tow (usually men) that I see parked in these spaces - I think you're absolutely fine to park there heavily pregnant!

I personally wouldn’t. Generally speaking I find you can park further away or in a space where no one can impede your access. But I wouldn’t be bothered if someone heavily pregnant did.

They're not designed to give parents proximity to the store; it's so you can throw the doors wide open to sort out car seats etc. the ones at my local Asda are in the middle of the car park whereas blue badge spaces are by the door.
Pregnancy means you need space to open the door, so I say use them.

Im 22 weeks with my second and id have said no. I'd park further away and walk. But I'm pleasantly surprised by these answers!

I wouldn't be bothered if I saw someone heavily pregnant who clearly wouldn't be able to get out of a car in a packed carpark in any other way parking there. However, I never found I had to myself, and especially not at only 27 weeks. I'd say if there's absolutely nowhere else you can park where you can get out of the car, go for it (if you're on you're own of course; if with husband, he can pull the car out) but otherwise, if it's simply for convenience, then I'd never do that.

Of course it is; they aren't legislated for in law like blue badge spaces. Enjoy your pregnancy and don't worry 😊