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Why do people not stand up for pregnant women?

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I have taken the train to and from work for the past 8 years. And the joys of Metrorail means full trains and sometimes not getting a seat.

As an able bodied human I don’t expect anyone to stand up for me, I can stand for the 30 minute train ride to town.

Just because I’m a woman, doesn’t mean that you need to give your seat up for me.

But there are people who it’s just polite to give your seat up for. Mostly, people for who standing up is a bit of a problem: old people, disabled people, parents with very young children and pregnant women.

And the amount of people who will actively ignore a pregnant woman on a full train is astounding, ask me, I’d know! The trains can sometimes get so full that I become a little scared for my baby.

And it’s not just us plebs who have this problem it seems, Olivia Wilde had the exact same experience on a New York subway.

People will often say pregnancy is not an illness or a disability, and they’d be right. But pregnancy, especially when you’re in your third trimester and standing for half an hour puts pressure on your very heavy belly and very sore back. I mean, even just the 5 minute walk to work now takes 10 minutes because my pace has slowed down a lot. It’s not an easy time.

Yes, my husband and I chose to have this baby and most of the time I power through all the difficulties. I mean, you don't really have a choice when you also have a 3-year-old to look after. So sometimes, it would be nice to catch a break is all.

What it comes down to is manners and being polite, it’s not an entitlement issue. Just be nice. Did your mother not teach you to be nice?

Do you give up your seat for pregnant women or should they stand like everyone else who didn't manage to get a seat? Send your thoughts to chatback@parent24.com.

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