Having carried and delivered two children, here's what I know: When a pregnant woman needs to pee, she needs to pee. So a recent case in which a store owner refused to let a woman who was seven months pregnant use the restroom flat out pisses me off (pun totally intended).
It happened in New Zealand when Jacki Breuer, an interior designer, was visiting an antiques store. According to stuff.co.nz, when she asked to use the restroom, she was told, "Ah, no". Ah, no? Jacki told the site, "I pointed out I am heavily pregnant and she again said: 'No, it is company policy'."
What kind of heartless person does that?
A person who wants a big fat dose of bad Karma I'd say. Breuer says she was so uncomfortable that she cried all the way home.
Being pregnant is not much fun when you are busting. I got stuck in the one-way system and roadworks. It was horrible. It was very unpleasant and upsetting.
I get stores not wanting to let random people use their restrooms. I find it rude no matter if a person is pregnant or not, but it's their business, their rules I suppose. But a pregnant woman is different, really different -- she has another growing human being pressing down on her bladder.
While it was an assistant who denied her access, the store's owners have no remorse. They say the policy is in place because they've had problems with theft and cleanliness. Co-owner Jane Finch said, "I am comfortable with the decision you have made." It doesn't say whether she's had children or not, but I'm glad she's comfortable, because a pregnant woman who has to pee is not.
While I don't think pregnant women should get a total carte blanche for the entire nine months, I don't think that offering them an occasional perk or making a small exception for them is too much to ask. Letting them use the restroom when they need to shouldn't even be a question.
Do you think stores should let pregnant women use restrooms even if they have a policy allowing others from doing so?
Image via Terry Johnston/Flickr
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Comments 137
Some ridiculous hipster at Urban Outfitters in Little Five (Atlanta) would not let me pee when I was eight months pregnant. All the other places around were closed (except the movie theater, which you had to have a ticket to enter). I was like, "You see that this is not optional, right?" He said, "We don't have a public restroom for anyone." So I had to go to the theater, where the awesomely goth ticket chick said, "We don't normally allow this without a purchase, but go on in. You obviously need to go!" I was so happy with her, I ended up buying a three dollar bottle of water to support the business. Yay Plaza! :)
When I was pregnant I always made sure to go before i left the house, and anytime i was near a public restroom. Rules are rules.
I was never denied a restroom when I was pregnant and I didnt expect special treatment, but was happy when someone would let me. Some of these commenters must have either never left the house while preg or have no kids that they gave birth to. Sometimes, esp in the 3rd trimester, you have to go suddenly and BAD....no warning. You just cant plan for that. I'd understand if it was a policy they had to stick to though.
I dont think its rude to tell people they cant use the bathroom. Im sure that policy is there for a reason.
As someone who's worked in retail and then construction for the last 13 years, its often more than just store policy. So yeah it sucks to be that woman who needs to go but is it really fair to ask someone to risk their job? Typically a restroom that is designated for employees only is done so not only by the store but by the local governing body (ie village or city) and if its not approved for public use they can get in real trouble for allowing nonemployess use it!!