Comments on: Fighting for Pregnancy Privileges.

By: Aruni

Aruni — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:05:21 +0000

This is crazy stuff. Maybe because I live in Texas and don’t ride trains or the subway, I was fortunate never to experience this. I don’t recall a time where someone didn’t offer me a seat or to help me on an airplane when I was pregnant.

I was even teaching college students when pregnant with my first baby and the students were always very nice and respectful. I guess I was lucky!

Congratulations!

By: Abby Martin

Abby Martin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:36:46 +0000

That should have been “have” and not “has”. And your son is beautiful BTW. Congratulations!

By: Abby Martin

Abby Martin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:35:37 +0000

The wise women posting before me has summed up the situation quite well. Aside from the fact that common courtesy has become an oxymoron, it is amazing how willingly oblivious some people can be when faced with a minimal inconvenience. Strangers had no problems feeling up my belly when I was pregnant whether they asked or not, but they seemed to have much greater difficulty giving up a seat on a bus or a train to me when I was heavily pregnant. It was surprising and sad and I hope it will change.

By: Anna Bourland

Anna Bourland — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:45:29 +0000

Oh and one more thing… if you see expectant mother parking, and you are not expecting … DON’T PARK THERE. It is not “express parking” for people getting last minute baby shower gifts.

We have this at Babies R US out here and it pisses me off when I see some lady who is just hurrying to wrap or bag her gift in the back of her SUV as she hurries to a shower.

By: Anna Bourland

Anna Bourland — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:43:34 +0000

When I was 7 1/2 months to 8 months pregnant with my son, I had to go get my 4 hour glucose test on a Saturday morning. I was at a new lab I had never been to before, and I had to wait for an hour in a long line outside (about 50+ people), and then inside leaning against the wall, and sitting on cement flooring just to get in. Once they opened the doors, everyone bum rushed the door and I became the bumper in a sick game of human bumper bowling. My stomach was hit, elbowed squished, and smashed into the wall. I began shouting that I was pregnant, please stop hitting my stomach. I was not worried about getting the “first” spot. I would have gladly gone last to avoid any issues. I was simply in line. I thought waiting in line was still civilized.

Anyhow, once inside and checking in, all the chairs and even most standing room was taken. The waiting room was very small and there were a lot of people. I asked the receptionist if there was anywhere I could sit. I had a special appointment to do my 4 hour test, and I would be there 1/2 the day, and could not stand the whole time. She said, wait for a chair. I was clearly distraught, and walked to the middle of the room. No one cared, and when I asked one man if I could sit down, he scoffed at me in response, and his wife (who had a child) shook her head and sarcastically said “give me a break” to me.

I ended up standing in that room the whole time. I had to drink my sugar drink, wait an hour, get blood drawn. Wait another hour, get blood drawn, etc, etc. By the end, I was shaking and weak. I walked outside and my husband had just arrived to pick me up. I got in the car and just started crying, I was so upset.

I called and complained and the lab just didn’t care. My doctor, however, was livid (as was my husband).

I can’t believe the way we treat each other in this world, and the way those who would seek to continue the human race are scorned. Pregnancy is a choice, and so is kindness. Would you look down on one who makes a choice to have a baby, and revere one who chooses to be awful to their fellow human being?

Giving up a chair when you are able-bodied is a no-brainer.

Thanks Tamar for yet another wonderful post!

By: Tamar Weinberg

Tamar Weinberg — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 03:17:00 +0000

We need to realize that this person is carrying a life. This life is our future, so what a woman is doing is amazing, and we should give her credit for that and realize that it’s not easy. It’s just a seat. Unless your feet are swollen and you have shooting pains, you don’t lose anything by giving up your seat to a pregnant woman

AMEN. So very well said!

By: Shevonne

Shevonne — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:58:37 +0000

This is an amazing post that everyone, regardless if they are a parent, should read. I’ve seen a few times where people, who don’t have children, indicate that pregnancy is a choice and is not disability.

With the “pregnancy is a choice” argument, not every handicapped person was born that way. There are some who are handicapped for the choices that they made. Does this mean that because their handicap is the result of their choices, they shouldn’t be given the same level of respect as someone who didn’t have a choice to be handicapped? Why is it so easy to say this about pregnant women? Is it because we are not able to differentiate between handicaps as to who caused their handicap and who didn’t, but we can obviously tell that a woman is pregnant due to her growing belly?

With the “pregnancy is not a disability” argument, it is just like you said, morning sickness is not the only symptom of pregnancy. With my first child, my entire lower body was swollen and it hurt to walk. You could see me wince in pain when I had to. On the metro, no one would offer their seat, especially men. With my second child, I was bedridden when I was seven months pregnant. Why? My daughter was resting on my sciatic nerve, so every step I took caused sharp shooting pains. It felt like someone was cutting me down there. The only problem was that I didn’t have much help, so I had to still go out there and do things.

There is that expression that “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child.” It seems that the village is crumbling. People no longer try to look out for one another and try to help, even if it’s a stranger. Everyone is so disconnected that they don’t even cherish a woman carrying baby. Now, you see people rolling their eyes and saying snide remarks when there is a situation involving a pregnant woman. We need to realize that this person is carrying a life. This life is our future, so what a woman is doing is amazing, and we should give her credit for that and realize that it’s not easy. It’s just a seat. Unless your feet are swollen and you have shooting pains, you don’t lose anything by giving up your seat to a pregnant woman.

Ok, I am done with my book. =D