Why we should consider giving seats for pregnant women even if they don’t look pregnant
I always thought you were supposed to give seats to pregnant women in public transportation because the babies are heavy in their stomachs. I quickly learned, however, that it was only one of the many reasons since I myself became one of those “pregnant women”.
At the early stage of pregnancy, we may not obviously look pregnant, but we could be going through a hell of morning sickness. Don’t let the name deceive you — it happens all day, not just morning. We could be feeling like throwing up all the time. We may not have been able to eat much. Our bodies are learning to deal with all sorts of new demands from the babies — they need more blood and start claiming their space in our bodies. As hormone balance changes each day, our symptom could also change day by day. It’s confusing! Serena Williams might be able to win Australian Open at such an early stage of pregnancy, but unfortunately, not all of us are like her. Some of us could feel completely ruined for weeks.
What is more, many of us choose not to reveal our pregnancy at such an early stage. I myself had a Baby on Board badge just while I was on the train and quickly took it off before walking into the office. It was a rather lonely time. I wanted to scream “I’m pregnant and I’m feeling super sick”. But instead, whenever my colleague asked if I was feeling well, I had to say “Oh, fine, just a little stomach bug”. During that time, complete strangers’ small kindness brightened my day, and their acknowledgement for my pregnancy was a confidence booster.
Mums-to-be continue to endure an unbelievable number of changes on their bodies as pregnancy progresses. All sorts of muscles might be being pulled to give space for growing uterus. Our hip and back are learning to support the new weight of babies, which results in constant back pain or muscle ache in legs.
And yet, we still may not necessarily look obviously pregnant. I’m almost 7-month pregnant, but without my Baby on Board badge, I don’t think strangers can tell that I’m carrying a baby. To begin with, I am petite. On top of that, I lost about 3kg during morning sickness, and I finally gained back about that weight. Although I may not look like it, my centre of gravity has certainly changed. From my perspective, I’m huge. Bigger than ever. It can be difficult to keep standing in the bumpy tube, especially if I can’t reach any poll to hold on. Some women may put on more weight, but others may not.
So it is utter nonsense if someone says “I don’t give a seat to a pregnant woman unless they look really big.” For God sake, if someone has pregnancy badge, give her a seat.
Fortunately, many Londoners have been so kind that I normally get a seat on the train. I really appreciate their kindness. I would cast a spell if I could so that these generous people have a wonderful rest of the day. But while many of us are so focused on our smartphones or Kindles, it is too easy not to notice that someone who needs a seat is standing right in front of you. So please look up from your screen when new passengers get on board — especially if you are sitting on priority seat, just because it was open!
