A WOMAN has been left stunned after witnessing a heavily pregnant mum-to-be being blasted for parking in a parent and child bay at Tesco.
Rosie had popped into her local supermarket to get some new shoes, and was getting back into her car when she heard the altercation.
“When I came back to my car, there was a young woman getting into her car,” she said in a video on her TikTok page.
“I’d say she’s probably about 20, 21 and she was visibly heavily, heavily pregnant.
“I mean, pushing the top 38, 39 weeks.”
Rosie then witnessed a woman of about 45 go over to the pregnant woman, and say: “Not got a baby with you?”
“And this 21 year old pregnant woman was like, ‘Sorry?’ and she went, ‘These bays are for children only’.”
When the mum-to-be replied that she was pregnant and thought she could use the wider parking bays, the other woman – who had a child of around eight with her – turned around and said: “Well, no you can’t.
“Only once your child’s here you can.”
Rosie admitted she was “absolutely flabbergasted” and was left with her “blood boiling”.
So she decided to go and speak to the pregnant woman, and ask her if she was okay.
“She was nearly crying,” Rosie said.
“Literally on the brink of crying.
“And I said, ‘You can use these bays as much as you like. I did when I was pregnant.
“Because you don’t have to waddle for half a mile from the back of the car park to the front of Tesco.'”
When Rosie told the pregnant lady “not to worry about people like that”, using some choice words as she did so, her comment was overheard by the other woman, who “walked off in a strop”.
“But can we all confirm right?” Rosie said.
“Can we all confirm as mums and even non mums that you can use the children bays when you are pregnant?
WHILE many pregnant women use parent and child bays when shopping, the rules and regulations about doing so are actually pretty murky.
According to the RAC, while it’s not illegal to park in one of the bays if you don’t have a child under 12 with you, you could receive a parking fine – depending on who runs the car park.
If the car park is operated by an independent parking agency, you are more likely to receive a fine for parking there incorrectly.
However, back in 2019, Tesco confirmed via a spokesperson that: “Our bays can be used by pregnant women that require additional space.”
Sainsbury’s said that pregnant women are usually allowed to use the bays, but this should be arranged with individual stores.
Apparently, mums-to-be should inform staff and give them their registration number, which will then be passed onto parking attendants to ensure they don’t get a fine.
Expectant mothers should make themselves known to staff in the store, who will make note of the registration number – to be passed on to parking attendants who will then be aware of the situation.
“Because babies are heavy to carry – no matter what no matter what weeks you are.
“You’re carrying a child – if it’s a child’s on your hip or in your belly, you’re parent and child.”
“Sorry WHATTTT?! Someone tell me I’m right please?” she captioned the video.
Despite Rosie’s firm reaction to the argument, people in the comments were divided as to who was in the wrong.
“As a mum 100% use them if you’re pregnant,” one wrote.
“Only thing that annoys me is like 50yo men with no kids in their jags parking in them.”
“Morally I’d say yes but legally probably not,” another added.
“I’m 30 weeks and I was debating whether to use it the other day or not, but I was worried somebody might say something to me because I didn’t have my toddler with me,” a third commented.
“10000000% you can!” someone else said.
“How can you get out of the car when pregnant if a car is parked close without the extra space?!
“I used them when pregnant!”
“Heavy pregnant mamas, use those bays!” another added.
“They are for you too! Do not squeeze your bump in normal spaces and struggle.”
“I think they need to update their signs to allow for expectant mothers,” someone else said.
“I was huge at the end and wouldn’t have got out in a normal gap!”
“I got fined for parking in a parent and baby space when I was heavily pregnant,” another pointed out.
While someone else argued: “I’d say the pregnant woman was more entitled than Karen!”
