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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Do you think parking in P&T in the last month of pregnancy is right?

37 replies

Lucky13 · 05/11/2007 14:19

Just to clarify, i'm not talking about disabled spaces just P&T ones.

The other day i tried to park my car in a standard space and then realised i couldn't get out because my bump was too big!! I have a 3 door car with big doors and the only spaces were miles from the entrance. By the time i'd hobbled to the entrance i was already in agony.

So with only days to go, if i'd have parked in the P&T spaces would that have been wrong? How many people would have shouted at me?

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Sarahjct · 05/11/2007 14:30

OMG, I was going to ask the exact same question!

I've found that I can't squeeze out of the car half the time now as there is not enough space between cars - different when it's just flab you're squeezing. Personally I think we're about as 'parent and child' as it is possible to be. I do always look for an end space first but yes, I would definitely park in the spaces if necessary.

MegSophandEmma · 05/11/2007 14:32

No one would of shouted at you and just because your child is in your body, your still a parent with tot IMO

LEMONADEGIRL · 05/11/2007 14:33

I used them towards the end as was so big. To be honest I was so tired and uncomfortable I would have probably snarled at anyone who critisied me

BurrrrrrrrrrningNbg · 05/11/2007 14:34

I wouldnt think your being unreasonable no and I'm sure every mum parking in the spaces that saw you would sympathise

My old local Asda used to have mums to be spaces next to the P&T spaces.
Not sure if thats a common thing but you needed to either go shopping at an unsociable hour to get one of them lol.

StrawberryMartini · 05/11/2007 14:35

I definitely think it should be allowed - I certainly wouldn't say anything to a heavily pregnant woman parking there.

Original poster

Lucky13 · 05/11/2007 14:36

Phew am glad i'm not alone. I was too scared to cos i've read so many threads on here about people parking in them without children.
If anyone had shouted at me i think i would have cried!

OP posts:

MegBusset · 05/11/2007 14:37

I think it's fine, did it when I was heavily pregnant, can't see that anyone would shout at you.

daisynova · 05/11/2007 18:33

Wow I didn't think of ever getting so big that you couldn't get out of a parked car. That's a new one for me to think of.

And for info - I wouldn't yell at a very pregnant woman parking in those spaces at all.

JARM · 05/11/2007 18:39

Ive done this through all 3 of my pregnancies! Im 37 weeks now and NEED that extra space to get in and out of the car, but then again 9 times out of 10 i have one of the girls (aged 3 and 2) with me anyway!

Janus · 05/11/2007 20:17

I'm afraid I have 'raised my voice' to perfectly able people using M&T spaces, eg businessmen nipping in for their lunch, but I would never, ever, think of shouting at any pregnant woman. I even think you could use a disabled space as the walk alone in the last few weeks can be knackering! How nice of you to worry but I would definitely use it now. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

expatinscotland · 05/11/2007 20:18

i think P&T should be completely abolished.

if your pregnancy has incapacitated you, get a temporary disabled badge.

Egg · 05/11/2007 20:27

Must be honest I parked in a P&T space yesterday at Tesco as am pregnant with twins, and normally always go with DS anyway, so always look to see if one is available. I did feel a bit guilty parking there without DS, but to be honest I couldn't be arsed faffing around trying to ensure I found a space where I could fit out of the door, only to come back and find someone had parked so close I couldn't get back in. Has happened before and have had to climb over gearbox to get into driver's seat.

Ambi · 05/11/2007 20:29

I haven't used em yet, but will do if i see em (36 weeks) Just let someone try to argue with me about it,

Ambi · 05/11/2007 20:31

oooh plus I have a sticker from Tesco baby club which means I can park in their spaces (but don't, asda is closer!!)

barbamama · 05/11/2007 20:32

As someone who has suffered from SPD in both pg's I think it is perfectly acceptable. I asked my GP about disabled status and was told it was not possible as it was a temporary condition. When not pg and with my children it wouldn't bother me seeing a visibly pg woman doing so. People without children either inside or out are another story!

CHOCOLATEPEANUT · 05/11/2007 20:48

I parked in one the other day at Morrisons (Im due 1st Dec and am HUGE)

The car park attendant came stomping over and I looked down at my bump then at him.He smirked and turned away

spottyshoes · 05/11/2007 20:56

No it is not wrong - they are Parent and 'child' spaces and you have your child with you dont you? I'm with barbamama, as a SPD sufferer there was no way I was parking in normal spots. I had to once at 8 mths and when I came back some dick guy had parked so close I couldn't have gotten in the drivers door if I was a non-pg size 4!! Had to get someone from customer services to back it out for me!

I would NEVER say anything to 'obviously' pg mums parking in the bays - infact I expect it!

MerlinsBeard · 05/11/2007 20:59

I don't drive but DP used to have to park in these when i was pg with ds1. i used to stick a post it in the window(inside) with my mobile number on explaining why i had no baby seat and that i would not be long and if needed for diabled badge person we would move (to clarify, i was in a P&T not disabled) i was the size of a small country with him and needed teh space just to get my belly out! Now our local sainsbo has confort spaces which are larger so that its easier for pregnant(or obese) people to get out and no need to use those spaces

specialmagiclady · 05/11/2007 21:03

I did once tsk at a pregnant lady parking in a P&T space in a very cramped multistorey carpark near my house. Not within earshot, though, and I did have to turn my newborn DS2 upside own in his carseat to get him out of the very cramped normal space. With the exception of that one time, generally I think it's fine and have done it myself.

warning: long-winded and irrelevant aside coming up...

On the Paris Metro they used to have signs above the seats nearest the door that asked you to give up your seat to:
blesses de guerre (war wounded)
blesses civile (civilian wounded)
Aveugle de guerre (war blind)
aveugle civile (civilian blind)

etc etc as if it was a chart of who deserved a priority seat. I could just imagine two men on crutches scrapping over the seat.. "I am an aveugle de guerre"... "but I am a blesse civile, which trumps your aveugle de guerre"... and then a third bloke "I am a blesse de guerre" and the others having to stand.

Anyway, that's a long-winded way to say that you're just as deserving as any other mum. (But if you see someone who's 40 weeks pregnant with a couple of toddlers, you might want to let them have your place!)

orangehead · 05/11/2007 21:05

Our local sainsburys now has disabled spaces, p and t spaces, and now extra room spaces

TreeHuggerMum1 · 05/11/2007 21:10

I was enormous, I gained three stone and drove a 4 x 4.
Had not choice other than to park in them.
I did see two little annoying 17 (ish) year old girls the other day in one in the pouring down rain and I tutted at them and they shouted that one of them was pregnant (yeah right), they were about 3 stone each and they ae the people that should sod off and park elsewhere! x

specialmagiclady · 05/11/2007 21:13

I've decided that when i see people without kids parking in the P&T spots that don't have kids, I'm going to run after their car, looking genuinely distraught and shout "Oh my god, you've left your baby in the supermarket!"

I got yogurt chucked at my car the other day for mouthing "cheeky fuckers" at some teenagers who parked next to me in the P&T spaces.

Or perhaps I should just bloody well chill out and find something important to get angry about...

bluenosesaint · 05/11/2007 21:16

Of course you should be able to use them - you are a parent with a child ...s/he's just snuggled up in your tummy still, thats all!

Good luck with the rest of your pg xx

Jossiejump · 05/11/2007 21:39

It's not just right, it is important-when I was pg with DS1 I parked in a normal space at 8 months pg, came out to find that a truck had parked so close to me that with my bump I couldn't get in the car-had to wait for an hour for him to come back! Now 37 weeks pg with DC3, I park in parent and child bays even when my boys aren't with me for that reason

oldwomanwholivedinashoe · 05/11/2007 21:43

completely and perfectly acceptable

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