While I often moan and groan about how rude people can be to pregnant women, I have often experienced random acts of kindness from strangers.
For example, I was walking across my college campus last week for the one class I'm taking this semester, and a young college-guy actually held open a door for me. Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles! Usually when I trek across Acadamia, I seem to disappear-- which is odd, considering my increased size. Generally, the college campus is the one place I could count on NOT receiving rude comments, because the general population of a college tends to be frightened by the sight of a pregnant woman, as if I would somehow contaminate them. Anyhoo. For the first time all semester, a young man of which I have no acquaintance saw me and was kind enough to hold open not one but two doors for me! I was simply astounded.
Additionally, I have experienced increased empathy from the baggers at the local supermarket. I shop at Publix, which boasts that "Carryout is a Publix service." How nice. Before I became pregnant, rarely was there a time in which the bagger actually offered to assist me to my car. Now, however, even if I only have three bags, they are always so eager to carry them out for me! So of course I take advantage of it! (I only wish they could help me all the way to my apartment and up the flight of stairs, into my kitchen, and put them away too! lol!)
Another time, (again at the college campus,) I had to park a LOOOOONG way from the building entrance. A young woman saw me, smiled, and said, "They should have parking for expectant mothers up front!" That made me laugh. I thought of the store Babies R Us, which actually DOES-- next the handicapped parking spaces, there are two or three spaces with a sign designating them "Stork Parking: Expectant Mothers Only." I LOVE that! Every parking lot should offer such spaces.
*Smile* I am now 8 days away from my due date!! I'm trying my best to look back at my pregnancy and call up the happiest memories. I would much rather remember the kindnesses I have been shown than the rude comments and unpleasant physical aspects of pregnancy! If anyone wants to share their "happy pregnancy" stories, I'd love to hear them!
*Smile* I am now 8 days away from my due date!! I'm trying my best to look back at my pregnancy and call up the happiest memories. I would much rather remember the kindnesses I have been shown than the rude comments and unpleasant physical aspects of pregnancy! If anyone wants to share their "happy pregnancy" stories, I'd love to hear them!
4 comments:
Pregnant women should be given temporary disabled parking privileges so they don't have so far to walk! Most of the disabled parking spots I see are empty anyway.
You're right to think about the good things about your pregnancy. Even now with my newborn, I feel there's so much I regret about my labor, the first few days after he was born, etc. Think about the good stuff. I should try to do that, too.
I've heard there are parts of the country that DO have expectant mother/new parent parking up front by the store at a lot of stores. Not here! IKEA has about eight "Family Parking" spaces, and they're almost always full-- and not just with people with young/lots of kids or pregnant mothers.
I was in Texas my first pregnancy, where everyone is very polite to women ANYWAY. My second I was in California, but I have to say people have always been really helpful when they see me wrestling with a small child-- which I was doing the whole time I was pregnant. But you're right, there are some little acts of kindness, pregnant or not, that you will never forget. Like the bus ride I had with a double stroller and two small kids, and the young man who patiently picked up the things my toddler threw-- with a smile!-- umpteen times on our hour-and-a-half ride, and then helped me wrestle the whole contraption out (the bus driver was no help, I missed my stop because he wouldn't wait for me to get the kids out. This young man held the door until I was all the way out, with both kids and all my stuff, and braved the wrathful looks of the bus driver to politely hand me out to the curb. His mother did something right!)
I live in Massachusetts and we have lots of places with parking for new moms and expectant mothers. The grocery store (Stop N Shop) does it, and so does Target (I think). And I took advantage of it all the time until Eleana was about 8 months old.
Good luck, or congratulations!
Have you had that baby yet?
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