Have you ever played the pregnancy card?

Nest Laura · February 2010

Hi everyone!

We're working on a story for the Bump magazine and I was hoping you may be able to help me.

Have you ever played the "pregnancy card"? Maybe you tried to get into a restaurant with a long wait? Or, we have an editor here, for instance, who loves using the pregnancy parking spot when she's out shopping (although she's worried about using it when she's not showing yet!).

Please share your answers and thank you for your help!

sejabernathy · February 2010

A few times...

numerous stores that are VERY against customers using their RR's...who got in? MUAH! (sometimes you just cannot hold it!)

ha ha i got out of a ticket. i was going a little fast (not too fast but he was obviously looking for something to do) and told him i was nauseous and going to DQ to throw up. he ran my id to check for insurance and let me go "as fast as he could". i know...i' horrible.

as for the parking spot. i used it sometimes with DS before but now, even without him i use it...it says "With child" i am with child, therefore i use it!

:-D

StrawberryAlarmClock · February 2010

I technically could get up from the table to refill my own drink but I quickly learned that if I say, "oh no, I'm out of water" DH hops up and gets it for me. Smile

CleanQueen151 · February 2010

No but people at my job used it as an excuse not to come into work because they did not want to get me sick. So instead I ended up working the shift alone cause they were looking out for my well being!

BelhurstBride · February 2010

I tried playing the pregnancy card on a flight in order to get a bulkhead seat to make stretching out easier. I was denied. I was stuck in the middle of the plane as far away from either bathroom as possible while young (rather short) business men got the bulkhead seats.

crysbena · February 2010

Ha! When haven't I?

At the Bobbi Brown makeup counter I mentioned my due date was right around the corner and really wanted to have my correct color foundation. They were out of it so the girl went to the back and pulled from their gratis and gave me a full size foundation in my color for free!

I love the pregnancy parking for sure!

I always have a place to sit and seem to get served first. Waitstaff always bring us something extra like a free dessert.

I've had zero issues returning items to clothing stores that have horrible policies!

My DH does all the cooking and cleaning since the 3rd trimester started.

I drive the newer vehicle because it's "safer".

I work with students and they always hold the door for me.

I've never seen such manners come out in people when they are dealing with a pregnant woman.

pennylane2241982 · February 2010

I do park in the prego parking and my dh also refills my drinks and such... I havent really milked it too much... My sister on the other hand milked it with both times...

ShoeFanatic614 · February 2010

Yes! We were having lunch at Bravo one Saturday and I had been looking forward to trying their turkey, avocado & bacon sandwich. The waitress busted my bubble by telling me that since they do brunch on the weekends, the regular lunch menu wasn't an option. So I asked if I could talk to the chef b/c I was pregnant and had been craving it all week long (I might have fudged on that one). She told the chef and guess who got her turkey sandwich. Smile

BBachmann · February 2010

Nope, not where the public is concerned. Only when I want a foot rub from my husband.

mdearrington · February 2010

Going out to eat, I have sent food back that I ordered that didn't taste the way it did pre pregnancy. I always smile and ask politely order something else. Some times I don't get charged for either meal

I like that.

AlisonLynn · February 2010

I used the pregnancy card when I was not pregnant once. I was at a concert and had to pee soooo bad. I told everyone I was pregnant to get to the front of the line and it worked. Awful, I know!

While being pregnant, I try to pull the card out all the time with DH! He usually doesn't take it though! My cousin'sh husband used it to get out of a speeding ticket once though. He was speeding and got pulled over. He told the cop his wife needed to use the restroom and is pregnant. It worked! haha

lpstjohn · February 2010

CleanQueen151:
No but people at my job used it as an excuse not to come into work because they did not want to get me sick. So instead I ended up working the shift alone cause they were looking out for my well being!

This! So irritating.

mustangirl5.0 · February 2010

Not sure that it totally qualifies, but dh and I had been trying to sell one of our cars for several months with no luck. We finally had someone who wanted to come check it out. I usually let dh handle all things financial but told him I might step outside while the husband and wife looked the car over. So they arrived and after a few minutes I came out side, said hello, and as usualy they started asking the normal questions. When are you due? What are you having? Eventually they started getting into the car questions. The first question they wanted to know is why are we selling it? We explained that with the baby coming in a month I'll be staying home with him we really wanted to get rid of the car payment. They we very nice, liked the car and said they'd call back since they have a few more to go look at. First thing the next day they called with a full price offer to buy our car. They said that they understand our situation and didn't want to offer any less than we were asking. Sometimes it's great to be preggo. Big Smile

gypsywitch · February 2010

I ALWAYS use stork parking where it is available, and as I am in the Air Force, stork parking is all over the base. I like it, I have SPD and a toddler, any amount of walking is painful!

I also use the pregnancy card to get on 1/2 days of work. In my defense I work 10 hrs a day and have a toddler, I don't have theuxury of coming home and being able to rest; also DH is out of town most of the month lately so I'm going it alone and can't do it all!!!

spriit · February 2010

In my 9th month of pregnancy I've occasionally asked people for a seat on the NYC subway when nobody notices I'm pregnant (happens fairly rarely, I have to give credit to my fellow New Yorkers).

erinkate23 · February 2010

Oh yes.

I use it every chance I get! I got out of a ticket by saying I was pregnant and had to pee. I take advantage of everyone who wants to help me carry stuff or go do something for me, and I use the "parents with infants" parking now that I'm monstrously pregnant.

With all the downsides to being pregnant, I don't feel bad at all taking advantage of the few upsides!

PrincessLinLin · February 2010

I use it all the time with DH, refilling my drink, rubbing my back, going out to eat. And the other day I used the pregnancy card at church so I could take my water in ti the service even though its not allowed. I'll miss being pregnant!

KateNonymous · February 2010

I don't think that it's using the pregnancy card to park in a designated parking space--it's not like you cut someone off for a close but unmarked space and then said, "I'm pregnant!"--that's what the space is for.

I've used the pregnancy card once, last week. My husband and I commute by bus, and if there are enough seats, I'll try to save one for him so we can sit together. Last week a woman pitched a fit because I'm "not allowed to save seats," even though there was a seat directly across the aisle and my husband was three people behind her!

When I said, "you know what? take the whole row if it means that much to you," she sat down across the aisle and muttered something about me taking my medication.

I figured that she had it coming (I don't need medication, but, what, it's okay to be nasty about people who do? Sheesh), so I snapped back, "Actually, it's that I'm seven months pregnant and I'm a ***."

That's not the way I wish I'd handled it, and it turns out that in fact I'm not supposed to save seats, but she was really rude, pushy, and unreasonable.

FWIW, when Mr. Nonymous sat down, he asked what had happened, and I told him. He said, "I figured it had to be something, because you've never gone for the pregnancy card before!"

Jennicap · February 2010

When I was maybe 2 months pregnant we went to see U2 at Foxboro Stadium in Mass, I didn't want to walk up the scary walkway (afraid of heights) so I told them I was pregnant and couldn't walk up the thing and they allowed me to use the VIP elevators! lol it was awesome!

BottomStar · February 2010

I was traveling alone the day before thanksgiving and asked to be switched to an aisle seat. I said it was because I was pregnant and needed to be able to get to the restroom, but really it's because I'm afraid of flying and the more "centered" I am in the plane, the less scared I get (weird, I know). The gate attendent was super cool and let all the coach aisle seats fill up before processing my request so that she could justify upgrading me to first class. I was confused at first, until she handed me my ticket, winked at me, and told me to board during zone 1! It was an awesome flight, and I was so comfy in my big, first class seat!

daniellejeanne35 · February 2010

All the time for missing classes/late assignments. My professors actually told me not to worry about missing classes, they expect it is going to happen.

cajungirl0717 · February 2010

I've parked in the pregnany spot, but I was definitely showing. I have no problem using it either, since it is made for that reason!

Besides that, I try not to. I remind people that I am pregnant, not disabled. The only thing I can think of is when I spend all day cooking something for dinner, and when it's time to eat, all I want is a big bowl of cereal. I blame that on the pg because I never used to be like that.

kayleigh1987 · February 2010

oh yes!

Not only have I played the pregnancy card, but DH has started to use it too! Now, every time we go to the mall, he takes advantage of the free valet parking for pregnant women. We haven't had to park our car there (a chore itself) for the last 4 months.

Hey, as long as I don't have to walk half a mile from a parking spot, then I'm happy.

vanverth · February 2010

I have only cooked two meals and have washed no dishes since I was pregnant.

sdtchica13 · February 2010

I rarely play it (no need, everyone just seems to do stuff for me, hehe), but both my friend and DH have played it, lol! We had a snowstorm 2 weeks ago and DH wouldnt let me drive to work, so he decided to stay home too (I was on restricted activity then and he didnt want me dealing with puppy all day alone...plus, he REALLY didn't want to drive in the snow!). His partner (a.k.a. his dad) called and said that one of them really should go into the office, and DH said, "Well, I dont want to leave Carrie home with the dog all day, she's supposed to be resting", and his dad immediately told him to stay home, lol.

Also, in my second trimester my friend and I were trying to decide where to go to dinner and she wanted Diner really bad but we both knew DH and her H DID NOT want to go there, so she told them that I really wanted to go and was playing the pregnancy card and they agreed...she told me she loved riding off my pregnant coattails, lol!

autumn bliss · February 2010

Ha. This just happened to me tonight and I totally played the pregnancy card. DH and I went out to dinner. He was parking the car. There was clearly a waitlist going on and I was starving. I pointed at an empty booth in the bar area (relax everyone...you can't smoke in restaurants in MD) to the hostess and she said sure, no one else wants this area, you got it. I went to sit in the booth (mind you, I am 37 weeks pregnant) and could barely squeeze my belly behind the table. I certainly was not going to fit after I ate either.

I promptly got up, walked back to the hostess and pouted, pointing to my belly and said, is there anything you can do, I cannot fit and I am starving. She showed me right away to a table, not a booth; I am sure people were raving behind me that had to wait. DH came in from parking the car and was like, how did you score us a table so fast with the wait? I smiled at him and said, I didn't do it, your daughter did. Hee hee.

pearblossom · February 2010

I've played it several times in stores that do not have public restrooms.

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