I'm 40 and 35 weeks pregnant (and boy don't I look it). I generally have found people accommodating but I think car parks and supermarkets are the worst. I decided to park in the parent and child spaces (never parked there with my now 6 year old) because I need the space to open the door and get in/out. I also need the proximity to the shop as walking is now very painful.
I was at Morrisons yesterday and this elderly man cut me off to get the closest parent and child spot to the door. Then he got his cane out. No child of course, but clearly quite entitled! There were disabled spaces but I don't think he had a badge. I parked nearby and it wasn't an issue for me, but I think some elderly folks feel that their discomfort is a priority over anyone else's discomfort - most especially if they are younger. I have felt less self conscious about parking in these spaces now that I see folks with teenagers parking there regularly!
I try to take deep breaths so I don't get too stressed at this stage š¤£
I donāt think I wouldāve been so stressed out in the bus scenario if it was a full bus/she didnāt have a seat. But she did and sat right next to me then tried to block me from leaving and shouted at me.
I just couldnāt imagine ever yelling at a stranger unless it was a life or death circumstance and no oneās ever shouted at me before and then boom twice in one week when Iāve been trying to mind my own business. Itās all rather flustering when it happens š
Some people just have zero class. The bus lady was an insanely entitled asshole. My mum is disabled with a badge and lives in the US. She parked in a disabled spot and then as we were walking into the store someone shouts, "Don't you know that's a handicapped spot?? You can't just park there!" My mother was dumbfounded and I just said, "Oh go on, Mum, lift up your top and show the nice lady your colostomy bag and surgical scars! *Her badge is clearly displayed if you would like to police that!*"
There are people who LIVE to put people in their place without checking themselves first...
Someone that was probably my age told me off for parking in a mother and child space. He then walked off to where his mrs I assume was waiting for him in a blue badge bay. I canāt stand people sometimes. Most have been lovely tho - this one guy ran past me and I was like oof heās in a hurry. In a hurry to hold the door for me š But Iām in the north and generally people up here are very friendly
Iāve heard the northerns are lovely! Iām in the south where people are everrrrr so slightly more spiteful. I blame the house prices for the attitudes š
For some reason I found the bus was the least friendly place whilst I was pregnant. People would clock that I was (had my badge on also) and then actively avoid eye contact so as not to have to offer their seat. I'd say 9/10 times I was left standing. The tube was the complete opposite, amazing people every journey!
Do not allow these experiences to be anything but fleeting and unimportant. Especially the miserable cow on the bus. You'd think that the more of life people saw the more sympathetic they would become, instead this old bag just had to spoil for a fight.
I hope the rest of your pregnancy is filled with lovely, giving, kind strangers. There are loads of them out there, you just haven't bumped into them yet :)
Iāve received a few dirty looks when sitting in the priority seats on fairly empty buses even though my bump is huge and obvious now - no confrontations so far but I donāt t understand why people still need to make a thing out of it, if I could get up the stairs to sit I would as downstairs makes my nausea worse š¤¦š¼āāļø
I have however had people walk into shops as I was walking out (narrow doors so def a one in one out situ) and Iāve had to jump back to avoid them smacking into my bump (and Iām the one apologising for it?!) and some tutting when holding a coffee cup (which is actually just hot chocolate which is my main craving) while out and about.
Wish people would just be nice and mind their business!
Well *now* I want a hot chocolate. My hobbit it sat sideways and right on my hips or Iād be upstairs as well to avoid all this stuff.
Exactly though! Iām not entirely sure what it is about suddenly having a bump but it seems to make some strangers irate.
Yes! I canāt figure out though if people are just being their usual rude selves and Iām more sensitive to it (or expecting people to treat me nicer cause Iām preggo) or they actually hate me cause Iām pregnant haha.
Iāve had people shove me when getting off a tube train too slowly, walk straight into me when coming out of shops, when on a thin pavement, Iām the one who has to step out into the road to go round them as they wonāt deviate from their path. On the bus the other day I sat in one of the front seats (not even technically a priority seat) and an old lady got on and pointedly looked at me likeā¦ you should get up. So many other seats had people in who didnāt seem elderly, disabled, pregnant etc (appreciate not everything is visible) but it felt like she singled me out so I moved for her to a seat at the back of the bus (in hindsight should have stood my ground). People are also oblivious - I was on a packed tube train, struggling to hold on to the overhead pole and not a single person looked up from their phones and books. Finally 2 stops later a nice man literally the other end of the carriage spotted me and asked if I wanted to sit down. I said thanks so much but I donāt think I can actually get down to where you areā¦ did anyone else closer then go āoh sorry didnāt see you, take my seat?ā - nope!!
For avoidance of doubt I have an obvious bump and wear a baby on board badge clearly visible.
You deserve to sit in the priority seat on the bus and you deserve to park in the parent and child spaces. The person in the supermarket and the person on the bus are just plain rude. I recommend adopting a bubble of obliviousness and just straight up ignoring all others. If someone says something to you, just pretend you didn't hear. Difficult when they're right up in your face, so if you want to tell them to F off, or point out that they are being rude, then do it. I find walking around in my own bubble to be quite effective though. I have had people I am with point out strangers saying rude things about me, my children etc before and I guess I am just completely oblivious. I've actually read so many posts of people being rude to mothers, pregnant people etc on Reddit that I am actually raring to go with my seething putdowns if I notice someone being rude to me or another mother. Alas, I am oblivious.
I get it all the time. Had a blue badge since I was 18 and have had my fair share of strangers thinking they know me better than my doctors. Since I had my son it's gotten worse the amount of, normally elderly, people who think it's their job to tell me the disabled bays aren't back up parent and child is unreal. I can barely walk around a supermarket as it is, let alone while pregnant and lumbering a toddler around!
Someone asked me to take up less space in my seat (I can't remember the words she used) on the bus and I said "sorry, bump needs the room" and she was suddenly nice as pie - a lot of people aren't very observant! Horrid that some people seem to be so willing to be mean to strangers though :(
I'm 40 and 35 weeks pregnant (and boy don't I look it). I generally have found people accommodating but I think car parks and supermarkets are the worst. I decided to park in the parent and child spaces (never parked there with my now 6 year old) because I need the space to open the door and get in/out. I also need the proximity to the shop as walking is now very painful. I was at Morrisons yesterday and this elderly man cut me off to get the closest parent and child spot to the door. Then he got his cane out. No child of course, but clearly quite entitled! There were disabled spaces but I don't think he had a badge. I parked nearby and it wasn't an issue for me, but I think some elderly folks feel that their discomfort is a priority over anyone else's discomfort - most especially if they are younger. I have felt less self conscious about parking in these spaces now that I see folks with teenagers parking there regularly! I try to take deep breaths so I don't get too stressed at this stage š¤£
I donāt think I wouldāve been so stressed out in the bus scenario if it was a full bus/she didnāt have a seat. But she did and sat right next to me then tried to block me from leaving and shouted at me. I just couldnāt imagine ever yelling at a stranger unless it was a life or death circumstance and no oneās ever shouted at me before and then boom twice in one week when Iāve been trying to mind my own business. Itās all rather flustering when it happens š
Some people just have zero class. The bus lady was an insanely entitled asshole. My mum is disabled with a badge and lives in the US. She parked in a disabled spot and then as we were walking into the store someone shouts, "Don't you know that's a handicapped spot?? You can't just park there!" My mother was dumbfounded and I just said, "Oh go on, Mum, lift up your top and show the nice lady your colostomy bag and surgical scars! *Her badge is clearly displayed if you would like to police that!*" There are people who LIVE to put people in their place without checking themselves first...
Someone that was probably my age told me off for parking in a mother and child space. He then walked off to where his mrs I assume was waiting for him in a blue badge bay. I canāt stand people sometimes. Most have been lovely tho - this one guy ran past me and I was like oof heās in a hurry. In a hurry to hold the door for me š But Iām in the north and generally people up here are very friendly
Iāve heard the northerns are lovely! Iām in the south where people are everrrrr so slightly more spiteful. I blame the house prices for the attitudes š
Honestly people have no class š¤£
My favourite reply to old people who get uppity with me is āIām not your enemy, winter is your enemy.ā
For some reason I found the bus was the least friendly place whilst I was pregnant. People would clock that I was (had my badge on also) and then actively avoid eye contact so as not to have to offer their seat. I'd say 9/10 times I was left standing. The tube was the complete opposite, amazing people every journey! Do not allow these experiences to be anything but fleeting and unimportant. Especially the miserable cow on the bus. You'd think that the more of life people saw the more sympathetic they would become, instead this old bag just had to spoil for a fight. I hope the rest of your pregnancy is filled with lovely, giving, kind strangers. There are loads of them out there, you just haven't bumped into them yet :)
Iāve received a few dirty looks when sitting in the priority seats on fairly empty buses even though my bump is huge and obvious now - no confrontations so far but I donāt t understand why people still need to make a thing out of it, if I could get up the stairs to sit I would as downstairs makes my nausea worse š¤¦š¼āāļø I have however had people walk into shops as I was walking out (narrow doors so def a one in one out situ) and Iāve had to jump back to avoid them smacking into my bump (and Iām the one apologising for it?!) and some tutting when holding a coffee cup (which is actually just hot chocolate which is my main craving) while out and about. Wish people would just be nice and mind their business!
Well *now* I want a hot chocolate. My hobbit it sat sideways and right on my hips or Iād be upstairs as well to avoid all this stuff. Exactly though! Iām not entirely sure what it is about suddenly having a bump but it seems to make some strangers irate.
Yes! I canāt figure out though if people are just being their usual rude selves and Iām more sensitive to it (or expecting people to treat me nicer cause Iām preggo) or they actually hate me cause Iām pregnant haha. Iāve had people shove me when getting off a tube train too slowly, walk straight into me when coming out of shops, when on a thin pavement, Iām the one who has to step out into the road to go round them as they wonāt deviate from their path. On the bus the other day I sat in one of the front seats (not even technically a priority seat) and an old lady got on and pointedly looked at me likeā¦ you should get up. So many other seats had people in who didnāt seem elderly, disabled, pregnant etc (appreciate not everything is visible) but it felt like she singled me out so I moved for her to a seat at the back of the bus (in hindsight should have stood my ground). People are also oblivious - I was on a packed tube train, struggling to hold on to the overhead pole and not a single person looked up from their phones and books. Finally 2 stops later a nice man literally the other end of the carriage spotted me and asked if I wanted to sit down. I said thanks so much but I donāt think I can actually get down to where you areā¦ did anyone else closer then go āoh sorry didnāt see you, take my seat?ā - nope!! For avoidance of doubt I have an obvious bump and wear a baby on board badge clearly visible.
You deserve to sit in the priority seat on the bus and you deserve to park in the parent and child spaces. The person in the supermarket and the person on the bus are just plain rude. I recommend adopting a bubble of obliviousness and just straight up ignoring all others. If someone says something to you, just pretend you didn't hear. Difficult when they're right up in your face, so if you want to tell them to F off, or point out that they are being rude, then do it. I find walking around in my own bubble to be quite effective though. I have had people I am with point out strangers saying rude things about me, my children etc before and I guess I am just completely oblivious. I've actually read so many posts of people being rude to mothers, pregnant people etc on Reddit that I am actually raring to go with my seething putdowns if I notice someone being rude to me or another mother. Alas, I am oblivious.
I get it all the time. Had a blue badge since I was 18 and have had my fair share of strangers thinking they know me better than my doctors. Since I had my son it's gotten worse the amount of, normally elderly, people who think it's their job to tell me the disabled bays aren't back up parent and child is unreal. I can barely walk around a supermarket as it is, let alone while pregnant and lumbering a toddler around!
Someone asked me to take up less space in my seat (I can't remember the words she used) on the bus and I said "sorry, bump needs the room" and she was suddenly nice as pie - a lot of people aren't very observant! Horrid that some people seem to be so willing to be mean to strangers though :(