BellaOnline Forums Relationships Married No Kids Pregnancy = Handicap??

I'm stuffing a pillow under my shirt next time I go to Wal-Mart.

I've seen parking spots reserved for 'those about to birth' before, but last night, it just irked me when I went to Wal-Mart after dark and had to park in the middle of the lot. Wal-Mart has the largest handicapped spots to begin with, and they're numerous. But then they had 2-3 spots reserved after the handicapped spots for preggies...empty, of course.

My first thought was why can't they combine the spots? They could make "Handicapped/Expectants" signs. Then I thought, hell no. Have you noticed the size of most Wal-Marts has doubled or even tripled? If pregnant women can walk around that monstrosity, they can walk from their cars like the rest of us.

And that would be bad because any woman could park in the handicapped spot (normally handicapped spots require permits/registration). Once my boyfriend and I parked in a prego spot at a Toys-R-Us and we justified it by saying that they don't know I'm not pregnant and what are they going to do, order a urine test? I object to the idea on principle. If you are going to have a spot for pregs, why not one for people carrying huge bags? Or those that are temporarily injured (that don't qualify for handicap stickers or whatever)? Or the overweight?

That is such bs. Plus, I absolutely HATE wal-mart on so many levels and haven't been there in years. Pinecone--you're right, how can they judge who is pregnant, or 'pregnant enough' to be allowed to park there?!

Spots for the pregnant always amused me...not to mention the fact that I could never understand how a pregnant lady can be considered "handicapped." Although I have noticed that they can barely walk in the last trimester.

I park there on purpose, even if there are other spots available, just to make a point.

Most pregnant women need more exercise anyway.

Walking is GOOD for most pregnant women -- unless they have a problem pregnancy with hypertension or something, in which case, they shouldn't be at Walmart. Heck, if you are having slow labor, they encourage you to walk and walk and walk!

The only exception would be, perhaps, if the weather was bad and the parking lot slick -- the risk of falling is far greater. (I once went to a grocery store, and it was one of the few times in my life -- the others being when it was the winter from the Nordic Hel and I had a broken leg -- at 8 months, and the snow was falling, so slick when I got out, even holding the shopping cart I was having a hard time staying vertical, so didn't bring the cart back to the store.)

At my hospital we have 6 "emergency only" spots for the ER that I work in... Breeders always park there when they are on their way upstairs to disempact the little parasite... We have had days when half our spots are taken by people staying at the hospital for 3 days. And our emergency patients are forced to park farther out in the parking lot and walk in.

We came up with a solution and got it approved.. if they are there for more than 6 hours and arn't in our ER... we have their car towed. I notice myself smiling everytime I make that phone call.


Skeeter

Oh my..I've seen the spots reserved for pregnant women AND at Krogers where I live, there are spots reserved for women WITH children. That is total insanity. Why should they be able to park closer just because they have kids or are pregnant? If they have a medical condition as a pregnant woman, then they need to apply for a handicap sticker so they can legally park in the handicap spots.

Personally, I completely ignore the signs and park wherever I want as long as it isn't in the REAL handicap spots for people who are truely handicapped.

Those spots are supposed to be used by "new mothers". I always took that to mean within the first few weeks after having the baby. Speaking from experience, my last pregnancy was very difficult, and my back was badly hurt. It was very difficult to move for the first few weeks because of sprained muscles. I was told this wasn't uncommon. But my husband did have to go back to work, and grocery shopping still had to get done, so those spaces did make it easier -especially considering thst I needed to lift a baby carrier to boot.

I would say that yes, being pregnant IS a handicap.