Using the Tube while preggers

[AlexPea]

I'm 4.5 months pregnant, wearing baggy clothes so not visibly obvious - although I'm wearing a "Baby on Board" TFL button on my coat lapel.

I'm finding that about 75% of the time people are not getting up for me on busy tubes and it's pissing me off!

I don't alert people or ask to sit in their seat, rather just hope they spot my button but even when people see it they're either not registering it, or don't care. I'm mostly fine with it but days like today where I've got bad growing pains, bags to carry and just did a rather physical emergency first aid course, it really annoys me. I feel that people sat in priority seats have a duty to look around and check that nobody else needs the seat at EVERY stop. I know I do if I ever sit in one. I was also a bit annoyed that other people who clearly noticed my badge didn't alert the clueless men buried in their phones to the fact that there was someone in need of their seat.

What's other peoples experience of this? And how do you deal with it?

OP, I brought this issue up in a thread a few months ago, when I was about the same stage you are now and was greeted with the same mix of responses. The fact of the matter is some people are considerate and will offer a seat but a significant proportion, probably majority, are selfish and inconsiderate, you have come across a good few on here.

I am now visibly heavily pregnant, over 8 months, and not much has changed, people will look directly at you and look away, and let's face it it's not because they have an invisible disability, they are just dicks. I don't care how anyone tries to rationalize their selfishness if you see someone who has something that means they are prioritised for the seat you are occupying, whether that's a baby badge, a baby, a walking stick, a limp or are elderly and you don't have the decency to give up your seat, you are a dick. And if you are in a priority seat you are an epic dick!

Afraid you will just have to ask and shame them into some semblance of human decency. I'm so fed up of asking at this point, I'm almost verging on rude. Before anyone goes on about 'hidden disability,' I doubt a mid 20s guy carrying a huge backpack, who clearly works in construction has one.

And yes pregnant women are entitled to the seats no matter how far along they are, otherwise they wouldn't issue a bloody badge until you are a certain amount of months along. Your pregnancy does not dictate what other women experience in their pregnancy.

Hope your journeys are a bit more comfortable, just build up the courage to ask, once you start you will get more used to it. Hopefully, you will mostly commute with people a lot more empathetic to pregnant women than some of those here on MUMSnet.

Take care!

I don't see anyone with invisible disabilities on my line in those priority seats.

Well you wouldn't see it - given that they're invisible. I agree if someone is pregnant and needs a seat they should be offered one but it's extremely ignorant to say that because people look able bodied they don't need the seat