Anxiety on tube (or any public transport)

[florencesthoughts]

Hello

I’m 23 weeks pregnant and commute on the tube in London three times a week. In the last few weeks I’ve developed some anxiety before I beginning my commute both to work and home. I have a baby on board badge (that sometimes gets overlooked) and I would hope I would have the courage to ask for a seat if I really needed one…

but has anyone else developed commuter anxiety (don’t know if this is a “thing”) in their pregnancy? If so, any tips for it? It’s not severe enough for me to not commute or take taxis, it’s just something I have noticed in last few weeks.

Thanks

Not experienced this, but can you pinpoint a specific worry, to help deal with it? Tube travel is incredibly safe, much statistically safer than car travel. And it's annoying if you need a seat and can't get one, but try and build the confidence to ask, maybe ask someone like another woman who might be more sympathetic.

I experienced this a little in both pregnancies. Irrational worries about a car mounting the curb as i walked to the tube or feeling like i needed to stand right at the back of the platform in case i fell onto the tracks or if i couldnt get a seat, worries about falling in the carriage (im rh neg so if that happened, i would need to sort the anti D as well). I never ever worry about this sort of thing when I'm not pregnant!

I spoke to my midwife about it, she signposted me to some MH resources and advised how i could self refer to our borough's talking therapies. But actually, i found some of the online resources relating to mindfulness / CBT techniques etc were enough for me to feel like i was keeping these thoughts under control. I had PND after my first baby so also talking to my husband so he could watch for any signs of it developing again was really helpful. But otherwise it disappeared pretty much as such as I started using the tube again once baby was born.

I am 23 weeks pregnant, and worried mostly about being given a seat on a busy train (I can get dizzy if too hot), and I am constantly needing the loo so super worried about travelling on the underground. Apart from that, I don’t have other worries.

Thanks everyone! It’s relating to whether I’ll get a seat or not. I’ve tried commuting at different hours as well but always busy on my line.

I guess like the first replies said, just need to build confidence to ask for one! Thank you all

@florencesthoughts I have found generally people are good at letting me sit (I’m early pregnancy but have been really nauseas and dizzy). That being said I literally raced a man to a priority seat the other day - when I got there and sat down first, he huffed at me. I tapped my baby on board badge and he grumbled grumpily, so I’m pretty confident he would’ve just taken the seat if I hadn’t got there first!

Haha @Lillers similar story where a man raced me to a seat and people looked at him in disgust! For me it depends what tube line I’m on and what time I’m travelling. I’m stereotyping now, but from experience it’s more often men that happen to “fall asleep” on their way home and somehow cannot see the badge. Got to laugh I guess, otherwise I’ll start loosing faith in peoples kindness 😂

I'm only 10 weeks pregnant but having very similar travel anxieties. My commute is around 1.5-2 hours, and i've low blood pressure. Already fainted once on the train, so now always wear a badge. Find perhaps 2/10 times people offer a seat, other times you have to ask.
Unfortunately had a blip yesterday whereby the entire carriage ignored my request, causing me to get flustered and tearful. It was only when a gentleman stood further down noticed and had to tap on someones shoulder to move. I'm hoping I'll get more confident in asking, as we shouldn't feel embarrassed to have to do so...