Mum and baby parking would you park there if you are expectant?

[littleone2010]

I just saw this on another forum and there was so much feedback im really interested to see what you ladies think, it seems we are a bit friendlier here!!

At tesco they just have the mothers with children parking by the door - now we are very pregnant do you tend to park there? Even without actually having a toddler/child in tow? If you have other children would u be mad at a preggo woman has parked there?

I go to asda sometimes too and they provide expectant mothers parking - which I think is great as I find it a struggle walking far and the tiny spaces are a squeeze for my bump when I try to get out.. but I always see women with children who at least dont look pregnant who park here too, are they not doing the same thing as other people parking in the mothers and child spaces?

What do you think ladies? xxx

 

[lynnikins]

i didnt but my tescos has extra wide spaces as well as the disabled and parents parking so i tended to use those while i could still drive

 

[mandylou]

i was tempted the other day when it was raining lol but no, i parked in a normal space, but will deffo be parking there when LO is here

 

[jaybee]

Ohh good question.
I tend to internet shop now cos I can;t make it round the store any more easily anyway.
However, I think I probably would consider using the spaces as like you said, the normal spaces don;t allow for the door of the car to open widely enough for me and bump to enter and exit the car easily!
I don;t know what the store management policy is on it though!

 

[jolou]

i dont use em but try and park next to a disabled or mother and baby space as there is slightly extra space from the next car. in saying that i usually go shopping wiht my mum who is in a wheelchair so its not so bad for me, if there isnt enough room somewhere i tend to park where there isnt a car parked next to me so i can get out.

 

[littleone2010]

I have started parking there recently but I tend to go at night as there are not that many people- or mothers with chidlren around and i find going to the supermarket stressful enough without having to dodge people in the lanes! lol I dont even feel embarassed and no one says anything to me as they can obviously see I am pregnant- and alone- my husband works evenings so I have to go alone so its difficult for me and I think people are understanding of that... getting my bump out of small spaces and walking far with a heavy trolly.. I think they should provide spaces - but they would be abused the same way the disabled ones are... at the tesco in north london i go to people always park in disabled and blatantly arnt. Thanks for all your replies, interesting to see what people say!

 

[girl friday]

DH asked me if we could park in the parent and child spaces as we technically had a child with us and I said no!

We only have one car and I am massive making driving hard, so if I go to the shops he comes with me. DH will drop me off and pick me up from the entrance to the shops.

 

[Hevz]

No....why would you? If you're fit and well enough to walk around the shops then you're fit and well enough to walk from a space a bit further away. As a mother of 4 and 2 of them being toddlers these spaces are very useful when I need the extra room to open the doors wide and lean in strapping my 1 and 2 year old in the car. I'm a "big girl" shall we say and I never had any problems getting in and out of the car while pregnant

 

[KayCee114]

I Posted this on a local forum to me (not to do with babies, just a general Sheffield forum) to get opinions on if people saw me parking in one would they get funny with me and tell me to move.

I didn't get much response to it but the general consesnus was that they wouldn't mind.

I have severe SPD and have to open my car door wide to swing my legs in and out together.

I cannot walk far either.

On the other forum, one person 'helpfully' replied 'why on earth would you go pushing a trolley round a supermarket with SPD???'

to which I politely told them that I don't push the trolley as it is too painful, my husband does our weekly shop, not that that is any of their business, and is it not possible that a pregnant woman could want to go to a supermarket for anything else other than a weekly shop... Such as grab a sandwich, use the loo etc... That person didn't reply again! Lol

I am quite certain that I will park in one from now on as I feel I need it. Also, most of the spaces say for parents with children under 12... I know this is sainsburys rule anyway... And I think we need wide spaces closer to the door than someone with an 11 year old!

Sorry if I sound harsh, but I don't see why we should suffer when there are spaces we can use.

We are 'with child' after all!!!

Xxx

 

[girl friday]

I Posted this on a local forum to me (not to do with babies, just a general Sheffield forum) to get opinions on if people saw me parking in one would they get funny with me and tell me to move.

I didn't get much response to it but the general consesnus was that they wouldn't mind.

I have severe SPD and have to open my car door wide to swing my legs in and out together.

I cannot walk far either.

On the other forum, one person 'helpfully' replied 'why on earth would you go pushing a trolley round a supermarket with SPD???'

to which I politely told them that I don't push the trolley as it is too painful, my husband does our weekly shop, not that that is any of their business, and is it not possible that a pregnant woman could want to go to a supermarket for anything else other than a weekly shop... Such as grab a sandwich, use the loo etc... That person didn't reply again! Lol

I am quite certain that I will park in one from now on as I feel I need it. Also, most of the spaces say for parents with children under 12... I know this is sainsburys rule anyway... And I think we need wide spaces closer to the door than someone with an 11 year old!

Sorry if I sound harsh, but I don't see why we should suffer when there are spaces we can use.

We are 'with child' after all!!!
Xxx

I saw that post! I thought the OP might have seen it or posted it so had to double check their location!

 

[x-amy-x]

I have never parked in a parent and child space without a child. TBH i think it would annoy me a little if a pregnant person with no baby/child in tow parked there. Not as much as all the twats with no excuse other than sheer laziness though. Its a fight to get these spaces at any supermarket near me. I find the spaces really handy when i can get one, stops me from bashing other peoples doors trying to get caitlyn out, it also (usually) means that caitlyn would never have to walk on the road as they are usually at front or side of store.

xx

 

[littleone2010]

Hevz I think thats a tad unfair, I have to do my weekly shop on my own and I DO struggle to get round a supermarket on my own im so knackered afterwards I jus want to get to the car and my tesco is sooo busy.. and like the other ladies say if you have other medical conditions I think this should be allowed I get terrible pelvic pains and yes when i enter my last 3 weeks I will stop and husband will have to find some time to go and do it but for now i dont have a choice, Id also like to put it to you that at asda I alwasy see non pregnant (looking anyway) mothers with children arking in expectant mothers spaces.. is this ok too then?

 

[littleone2010]

and also, wouldnt you be happier a heavily pregnant lady who feels she needs the space than some twat in an audi TT that just cant be arsed and has no reason?

 

[scotsgirl]

well i have a son and even when he isnt with me i park in these spaces. i struggle to push my trolley very far. i have anaemia and get very tired and breathless. to be honest my local morrisons isnt very busy tho. and i dont feel guilty. people wil find reasons to moan no matter what x

 

[x-amy-x]

course people will moan.... they are parent and toddler spaces

 

[scotsgirl]

course people will moan.... they are parent and toddler spaces

i think you will find they are parent and CHILDREN spaces... and if im not mistaken, im with child! would you be happier to see a heavily pregnant lady struggling pushing a trolley a far distance and an empty space sitting?

 

[DueMarch2nd]

Well, i had hubby park in them a few times when i was pregnant but only ever at night when the parking lot was practically empty anyway! lol But even though i had bad spd and needed to swing the door really wide to get out, he would just have to find a suitable space and we never used them if they would mean a mum would miss out.

Now that i have my LO those spaces are a god send because the extra space at the sides for the pram. Not to mention that i still have trouble getting out of the car because my stitches and the pain associated with vaginal birth. At mothercare the other day a red suv parked next to us as we were getting hunter in the car and out came a pregnant lady. I was pretty annoyed as it was the middle of the day at mothercare and it was an suv so she did not need the space to climb out even if she had spd (its the getting UP thats hardest) and it was the last mum and baby space and it was a massive parking lot (retail park) so she could have easily used a different space and been fine. But i would be happier with a pregnant lady using the space than someone else who isnt entitled either.

 

[x-amy-x]

i will not argue the ins and outs of it... i have been both pregnant and with a toddler and never when i do not have a child with me do i think i am entitled to a space... they are there for the safety of the small children. Lots of people abuse the parent and child spaces... it will always be a problem. We are lucky they are there at all.

 

[MrsGlitz]

I would use one but only because I have severe SPD and so need the door fully open to get in and out of a car with my knees together. As it happens my DH does the shopping himself since I can only manage to get out once or twice a week for a short time.

ETA I don't actually drive and apparently with severe SPD it's advisable not to so what I would do is irrelevant! Last time I went to a supermarket to pick up a few bits with my sister and her boyfriend, he dropped me off as close to the door as he could without using a disabled or parent space then he went and parked. Once done he got the car and picked me up.
So actually, that's what I would do if with DH.

 

[DueMarch2nd]

course people will moan.... they are parent and toddler spaces

i think you will find they are parent and CHILDREN spaces... and if im not mistaken, im with child! would you be happier to see a heavily pregnant lady struggling pushing a trolley a far distance and an empty space sitting?

They arent there only so people can be closer, they are also needed for the space reqired to get the baby in and out of the car and pregnant women should walk as much as possible, they arent disabled. I would have no problem seeing a pregnant woman push a trolley far, i am sure when i was shopping at 10 days overdue, no one minded seeing me waddle along. I would rather see a pregnant woman walk and get the needed exercise than see a woman struggling to get her LO out of the car and have to leave the pram at the back of the car while she does it because the space was taken by someone with a baby neatly tucked in her belly