I parked in the "Expectant Mothers" space at Babies R' Us - Page 2

[Keria]

Originally Posted by magstphil

Really? When the entire purpose of the spot is to help those with a physical condition?

How do you know this?, the spots are for expectant mothers in general, are you saying a woman in the first trimester is not pregnant enough to use them?,I mostly think it's a little thing to make moms feel special.

[eclipse]

Originally Posted by magstphil

How so? How would it make sense to have these spots closer to the entrance if only for show? I don't think these spots are about status or show and I hope someday in the near future they will have the same legality surrounding them as the traditional handicap ones.

I hope they don't. A normal pregnancy is not a disability. What would be great would be if it was easy to have temporary disabled placards for those pregnant and post partum women who require them. FTR, I had severe pelvic pain from around 20 weeks gestation to about 20 weeks after my last pregnancy. So it's not that I don't have any understanding of the issues that can crop up during pregnancy. I just think that extending the equivilent od disabled spots to every pregnant woman would be 1) hard to enforce and 2) is unnecessary since most pregnant women can do just fine walking a few more feet into a store. If a woman can't, then she has a legitimate disability and should be elligible for an actual disabled placard.

As the spaces exist now, they are PR for the companies who put them in. Baby's R Us is saying "Hey you're pregnant and deserve to be pampered." And that's great and probably true, but I'd hate to see that pampering codified legally.

[Maluhia]

Near us some say "Pregnant 6 months or more" so my assumption is that it is based on the physical challenges that come with being LARGE and the all-to-common difficulties that come with it.

I don't think the OP enjoying it in an practically empty parking lot is an issue, if it becomes an ongoing political statement in the adoption community I think there would be a lack of empathy in that situation that brings up frustrations for many.

[holyhelianthus]

A normal pregnancy may not be a disability in the literal sense but it does bring about difficulty in physical life for the most part.

[holyhelianthus]

Originally Posted by KailuaMamatoMaya

Near us some say "Pregnant 6 months or more" so my assumption is that it is based on the physical challenges that come with being LARGE and the all-to-common difficulties that come with it.

I don't think the OP enjoying it in an practically empty parking lot is an issue, if it becomes an ongoing political statement in the adoption community I think there would be a lack of empathy in that situation that brings up frustrations for many.

[eclipse]

Well then, what about a woman with severe morning sickness in the first trimester? Or what about a not pregnant obese woman? What about a woman who is in her 7th month but not showing? Who would enforce this?

[holyhelianthus]

Originally Posted by eclipse

Well then, what about a woman with severe morning sickness in the first trimester? Or what about a not pregnant obese woman? What about a woman who is in her 7th month but not showing? Who would enforce this?

It's my personal belief we need to really work out the kinks in this and make it more official. So I think women should have the opportunity to receive a similar plaque from their docs as the handicap. That's the end goal. As for now, however, when we are still working towards this it's going to have to rest on individuals to act with courtesy. Of course even if it is made more of a legal issue like the handicap spots already are there are going to be those who still decide to ignore it and park there anyway. A lot of times they get away with it, too. And like with the handicap spots some people are not immediately obviously psychically handicap which is where the plaque comes in handy to begin with. My grandfather has difficulty walking and wears braces on his legs but when he wears pants (99% of the time) you can't see the braces and he has been confronted in parking lots before by passer byers demanding to know why he is parking there. No way is going to be perfect but common sense and at least the benefit of the doubt would hopefully lead most people to the conclusion that a woman in one of those spots with a plaque (or for now without one) without a belly is in the early stages of pregnancy.

For now though all we have are those spots.

As for an obese person I do believe they are eligible for a handicap plaque as I know a few people in my life who have these for this reason.

[SundayCrepes]

I think a little common sense should be applied to all this.

I didn't use those spots when I was pregnant because I never felt bad. I saved them for the women who felt bad, no matter what their stage of pregnancy. I think it's a kind gesture (mixed with some marketing) to set aside these spots. I think it's a kind gesture to respect them for people who NEED them.

I think the op was just trying to have fun while expecting, and if the parking lot was empty, it's not such a big deal, but I do think it puts adoptive moms in a bad light because we don't NEED them.

[eclipse]

Originally Posted by magstphil

It's my personal belief we need to really work out the kinks in this and make it more official. So I think women should have the opportunity to receive a similar plaque from their docs as the handicap. T

I guess I just don't understand why it would be necessary to have special spaces just for pregnant women, when the majority of pregnant women don't need them, or don't need them for the bulk of their pregnancies. as it stands, I believe pregnant women with medical issues are elligible for disabled placards and can use the existing spots. When I was dealing with my pelvic pain, my OB mentioned it to me in passing, but I never persued.

[Talula Fairie]

I have SPD which makes every step I take painful, I'm 9 1/2 months pregnant, and yes, I did have to go to get a few last minute baby things recently (in my case, I needed a boppy, baby lotion, and some breast milk storage bags since someone asked why someone that pregnant would be out shopping). I would have been upset if I knew that the expectant mother parking spot was taken and the person who took it was not pregnant or handicapped.

[holyhelianthus]

Originally Posted by eclipse

I guess I just don't understand why it would be necessary to have special spaces just for pregnant women, when the majority of pregnant women don't need them, or don't need them for the bulk of their pregnancies. as it stands, I believe pregnant women with medical issues are elligible for disabled placards and can use the existing spots. When I was dealing with my pelvic pain, my OB mentioned it to me in passing, but I never persued.

As I said pregnancy may not be a disability in and of itself but it does bring about some pretty drastic physical changes that make life more difficult. These spaces are no different than offering your seat on the bus or helping a pregnant woman with her groceries.

[em123]

Originally Posted by eclipse

Since those spots are provided as a service to customers and not out of any sort of legal obligation (or even with a sign that says "pregnant moms with issues making it hard to walk), I don't think there's a problem with an expectant mom who is not pregnant (or even a newly post partum mom) parking in them.

Congrats, expectant mom OP!

:

Super congratulations to you!

[Talula Fairie]

I think being very pregnant itself is a disability, yes, but I have to say, I had NO IDEA how bad it could be until I developed SPD (on top of sciatica I might add).

[eclipse]

Originally Posted by magstphil

As I said pregnancy may not be a disability in and of itself but it does bring about some pretty drastic physical changes that make life more difficult. These spaces are no different than offering your seat on the bus or helping a pregnant woman with her groceries.

But would you want to legally require that people give up their seats or help a pregnant person with their groceries? Fine them if they don't? In any case - yes, pregnancy brings about drastic physical changes, most of which do not make it particularly hard to walk across a parking lot.

[lilmissimpatient@c]

Originally Posted by TropicalGirl

I mostly think it's a little thing to make moms feel special.

Bingo!

[eclipse]

Originally Posted by Talula Fairie

I think being very pregnant itself is a disability, yes, but I have to say, I had NO IDEA how bad it could be until I developed SPD (on top of sciatica I might add).

SPD is about the worse thing I ever experienced. And even though they told be it would end with delivery? Well, it didn't. It was a good 5 months before I could walk easily without pain. I thought I'd throw that out there in case you've been getting the "It will go away when you deliver" line, so you don't feel quite as POd as I did when it didn't happen.

[lauren]

It is my sense that the OP wanted to share a lighthearted gesture that made her feel included in the community of the expectant. Please refrain from posting in ways which are "disrespectful, defamatory, adversarial, baiting, harassing, offensive, insultingly sarcastic or otherwise improper manner, toward a member or other individual, including casting of suspicion upon a person, invasion of privacy, humiliation, demeaning criticism, name-calling, personal attack or in any way which violates the law." Remember to focus on the spirit of the post and to stay on topic (example, this thread is not about the validity of handicapped parking spaces).

Thanks everyone!!

[Talula Fairie]

Originally Posted by eclipse

SPD is about the worse thing I ever experienced. And even though they told be it would end with delivery? Well, it didn't. It was a good 5 months before I could walk easily without pain. I thought I'd throw that out there in case you've been getting the "It will go away when you deliver" line, so you don't feel quite as POd as I did when it didn't happen.

[alicia622]

Originally Posted by eclipse

I hope they don't. A normal pregnancy is not a disability. What would be great would be if it was easy to have temporary disabled placards for those pregnant and post partum women who require them.
As the spaces exist now, they are PR for the companies who put them in. Baby's R Us is saying "Hey you're pregnant and deserve to be pampered." And that's great and probably true, but I'd hate to see that pampering codified legally.

:

[eclipse]

Originally Posted by Talula Fairie

From what I understand, I was a rare case, so there's that. Not trying to scare you. I hope you're a "normal" case.