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

[Lucky13]

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?

www.raisingkids.co.uk/todaysnews07/news_271107_02.asp

I'll be doing it from about 8 months. Sod what anyone else thinks. 1 of 2 things will happen if they shout by the time I'm that pregnant. 1) I will shout back and I'll be bigger and louder and more angry. or 2) I will cry.

Who's going to feel bad then? me? NOPE

I would never whinge at a pregnant woman, it's bloody hard work.

I reckon if you cant fit out the door in a standard space, then you are either crap at parking or you need some sort of temp disability permit. It's not normal to find everyday life so difficult.

Also, I'm sick of hearing how hard it is being pregnant blah de blah.... It's not nearly as hard as having a friggin' newborn to lug about.

Is that the time???

a lot of P & T spaces say "parking for parents with young children and expectant mums"

so I think you're officially allowed to park there anyway

No no no, it's way easier having a newborn because at least it's not stuck to your tummy and you can put it down from time to time. And breathe.

So glad you have such easy pregnancies JeremyVile

[goes off to start thread on which is easier, pregnancy or newborn]

Specialmagiclady: I enjoy those French signs too - you can just imagine the Top Trumps over who is the most deserving.

By the way, I was so humungously HUGE with dd that I parked in the disabled bays in Tesco. Sorry! Actually I asked at customer services if it was all right and they deployed someone to push my trolley. I think they were terrified I was going to give birth in there and claim a year's worth of free nappies.

I would have no argument with a very pregnant lady doing so, and knowing how threads about P&C parking can kick off, I'm glad to see almost everyone agreeing on this one.

Because I'm such a saint, I've stopped using P&C parking; DD is 2 now and I can generally manage to squeeze her out in a normal parking space. But I know how hard it is to get a car seat out of a cramped space so I try to leave the P&C spaces for mums with newborns. Trouble is that cheeky wankers with no kids at all, or school age kids just take the space instead of me!! AAARGH!! But in another month or two, when I get a bit bulgier, I'll be back into the P&C spaces.

at Jeremyvile - you are making good use of your wooden spoon I see!

I try to park at the end of a row, so no-one will park next to me. I also try an avoid busy times as well. Tesco's do issue a sticker for expectant mums so they can use the P&T spaces, but haven't received mine as yet. I did email Asda with regards to policy but they never replied!

Eeek! What is the normal age to give up using P&T spaces? I have a 4 year old and 7 year old and, OK, I am pregnant with third but not huge yet, but I still use them. I've honestly thought they were still for me to use as I thought it was for road safety as well as space for car seats, etc. When mine get out of the car I make them stand in the space between the 2 cars rather than behind the car and therefore 'in the road' while I get myself together.
Should I be using normal spaces now?? I feel awful after reading derah's post as it didn't occur to me to be parking elsewhere. (I also have to whisper I have a 4x4, I know, hate me!, so space is an issue. Am gonna run for the hills now I think!)

Janus - don't hate me either but I think I'd probably be giving you dirty looks if I saw you using a P&C space! See, this is why the subject is best not mentioned on MN!!! I make DD stand between the cars, but she's only little so she fits easily between cars in the normal spaces.

It's quite hard to get a P&C space at our local Sainsbury, so I just prefer to leave them for people who really need them, especially at busy times. But you're right about the road safety issue. If it's quiet I'll use the spaces because that means less car park to walk DD across.

I think they're parent and child spaces, rather than parent and toddler. I still use them (my two are 5 and 3). tbh it's easier getting one newborn in and out of the car than two small (older) boys so I feel fully justified in still using them.