Parent and child parking spaces

[Blueeyedblondie]

What's the etiquette on using these parent and child spaces when you're heavily pregnant with your first child? I've just had to climb over the passenger seat to get into my car because some complete idiot had parked so close to my drivers side that I had no hope in hell of getting in.
It's made me so grumpy that I now want to park in the parent and child spaces so this doesn't happen again but as I don't already have a child, will this be frowned upon?

By that logic, anyone with a larger stomach could use the spaces.

I think these spaces are used by lots of different people for lots of different reasons. You could go ahead and use them now but don't be annoyed when you see someone else without a child using a similar space in years to come when you're driving around looking for one with your toddler in tow.

Parking at the end of a row will give the same result as there wont be a space beside your for anyone else to park in.

I'm sure plenty would say otherwise, but if it was me I think I'd park there. If it's too difficult to get in and out of your car in normal spaces, make it easier for yourself.

Plus, if anyone asks, you do have your child with you, ha ha.

Yes, but lots of non-pregnant people find it difficult to get in and out if small spaces in normal parking spaces. I'm not saying the OP shouldn't use the space just that she doesn't become one of those people who complain about people using the spaces when they don't have a child with them once she has a child of her own and there are no PandC spaces available.

I'm using them OP as I had a similar experience getting stuck crawling through my car. I have a DC and have watched many many people use and abuse them aka white van drivers. I am atleast 'with child' IMO. I'm not going to struggle and put myself or my baby at risk. Others will complain I am sure though... .

You probably shouldn't, because like someone above said, you could park in an end space or a corner space and have the required space to get in and out of the car.

However, if you had no alternative - then yes, I would park there as technically you have a child with you and you need the space. I would just be prepared that you could get someone challenge you about parking there!

To the above poster, why do you think the white van drivers are abusing the space but you aren't when neither of you have a child to get in and out the car?

Perhaps those van drivers also struggle to get in and out of small spaces?

I think it is very hypocritical for pregnant women to use these spaces when they don't have a child while complaining about other people doing the exact same thing.

Anyone can use them! They’re not like disabled spaces. No one has a ‘right’ to them, with child or not. There is now law saying you can’t use them when heavily pregnant.

I have to be honest, if I saw a heavily pregnant person using them, I think I would understand why.

Saying that, if it meant I couldn’t then park and get my child’s car seat out then I would grumble. Maybe if there are loads of spaces do it but if there aren’t, find a space on an end or park as far left in the space as possible.

Good luck with your pregnancy and welcome to the constant struggle of neighbourhood watch in car parks.

I tend to find a space at the far end of car parks where there's not many other people parked. Ive found that if you find a quiet spot then people tend to park in every other space rather than next to each other. It's hard walking further when you have SPD, but having space to swing both legs round to get in and out the car makes life a lot easier

I'd use them heavily pregnant - I did with my first after I got stuck in a car park for an hour with no way of getting in (cars parked v closely both sides), and wouldn't give a toss if I saw someone using them.

I'm 36 weeks and yesterday decided to use one of the p+c spaces after I got wedged into a parking space at the weekend. Luckily DH was with me that time to pull the car out for me to get in but with so much discomfort in my back and pelvis I'm not willing to play car gymnastics on my own. It's not ideal but just from my experience yesterday I'd say people use them for far less. On one side of me was a parent with two kids aged about 10+ who had no difficulties getting themselves in or out of the car and on the other side was a car where the man stayed with the child in the car and the woman got out on her own  They really should be only for those trying to wrestle car seats and toddlers but I think a heavily pregnant lady is still a pretty deserving case for a bit of extra room.

@HoldingOnForAHoliday A baby bump is completely solid and a lot harder to manoeuvre than extra fat around your tummy.

I think a heavily pregnant woman needs to be closer to a shop than someone with a baby/toddler. You can just park further away where there’s spaces and walk in.

Hugely pregnant everything is a struggle, especially if you have SPD or back problems which are v common. That trumps being able to open doors widely. Just park further away if you need the space.

I would say YES - you can park there. You do have a child with you.

Being heavily pregnant makes it a real struggle getting in and out of the car so you go for it and tell anyone who doesn't like it to do one :)

I'm not saying I don't think pregnant people should use the spaces. All I'm saying is, try not to be hypocritical and think that you are more deserving of the space than any other person using them who also doesn't have a child with them. Lots of people need more space for a variety of reasons. This then means that people with children might not get to use one if there aren't enough.

Pretty soon, those people will be the ones who are currently pregnant and they are likely to moan about not getting a PandC space because they're getting used by people who don't even have a child with them.

Parking at the end of a row would be just as useful in the OP's situation as using one of these spaces.

Thanks for all the feedback, I think I'll just use my judgement and common sense each time I'm in a car park.
I wouldn't want to feel like I'm using the space unnecessarily and I do drive a small 4x4 so my car does take up more space than an average hatchback, perhaps I'm wrong to moan when I can't get in. However, when parking I am conscious of other cars and pick a space big enough to park in, it's just if the cars around me change while I'm gone, there's not much I can do about that!

Do it OP. Completely justified.

🤔 depends how'd you'd feel when baby arrives and then you can't actually get them out of the car if you've had to park in a standard space because all the pregnant people have taken them up........

I think it is very hypocritical for pregnant women to use these spaces when they don't have a child while complaining about other people doing the exact same thing.

Most people who complain mean people with no need of the space (your “white van men”). Most people are sympathetic towards others with mobility issues, disabilities or other conditions that Jean they can’t get out of their car easily and need the extra space.

I'd just park at the end so no one could park next to me.

But who is in charge of deciding who needs the space? Why is a pregnant woman more justified in using the space than a white van man with a large stomach, sore neck/back that week meaning they can't crouch and squeeze? Why can't people who need more space, without children, park at the end of a row and follow the carpark/supermarket guidelines which are normally posted around which stipulate that the spaces are intended for people with children below a certain age? Anyone who does not meet this criteria is on equal par. The next lot of deserving people after those with kids are not automatically pregnant people.

As I said before, anyone without a child can use these spaces so long as they don't complain next time when they want to use a space and it's being used by someone else without a child. It's completely hypocritical. Use it but don't complain about other people doing the same and don't judge them as being less deserving than you.

Well, you’ve got a child with you! I think it’s fine to use them. Otherwise park far away and walk if you can.

People are such busy bodies. Who actually complains about people using these spaces ? If they're full, you park somewhere else- simple. No one has the divine right to park anywhere. Just get on with it and get a life. I honestly wouldn't even care if I saw a white van man in one of the spaces. Just move on with your day, life is too short.

I wouldn't bat an eyelid if I saw someone heavily pregnant using a parent and child space.
I do get annoyed if any person uses it, yes people may be overweight but like pp has said, a bump has now give, fat does. And if you don't have any need for the space, you shouldn't use it as you make a simple shopping trip, into an impossible situation sometimes.

I wish that the spaces were at the back of the car park as I think it would discourage people using them unless they needed them.
I need them to get a car seat out, not to be close to the store, so doing that might mean spaces are only used by people who genuinely need it.

Yes! Bloody do it.

My sister was expecting first child, she was 38 weeks, she won't mind me saying she was huge with first baby and she's quite small framed but big bump. She parked with DM in a spot in a packed carpark and a man in a van wound his window down and shouted at her (as her back was facing him) "Forgot your kid did you love?!" she was fuming followed him until he parked and shouted at him was she not allowed to use it as she couldn't get out a car in normal spaces, he apparently went all shades of red and apologised when he saw her.

We laugh about this today as she was fuming but If you need to use it (one toddler and expecting here) I wouldn't bat an eyelid.

@MissPepper8 omg that's so bad! What a low life busy body that man must have been. Why would anyone actually care. Ridiculous. People need to mind their own business's