I was a frequent MBTA rider for over a decade before I became pregnant with my son. Over those years of train, subway, and bus commutes, I had seen enough to know that when I became pregnant, riding the T might not be the best of experiences. Somehow, I got through it with a sense of humor, and now here I am, doing it all over again while pregnant with my second child.
Here is what you can expect if you ride the T while pregnant, by trimester.
First trimester: Morning sickness and the T
You may have gotten used to bumpy and swirly subway commutes pre-pregnancy, but that all flies out the window if you end up with morning sickness. That large thump when the subway hits an odd part of track? Enough to make you turn olive.
Even if you don’t suffer from bad morning sickness, an especially fast train could bring it on. When I was three months pregnant with my first son, and blissfully impacted by just minor morning sickness, I found myself on a Blue Line train driven by someone obviously trying out for NASCAR. I had not felt that ill since that time in my 20s when I took my first and last tequila shots.
If you do suffer from moderate to bad morning sickness, you may find yourself nibbling on a granola bar while on the train to keep the nausea at bay. But then you’re opening up the chance to get dirty looks from the “Please don’t eat on the train” crowd. One day recently I was quietly and discreetly eating my granola bar when someone shot me the dirtiest look. I wanted to say, “It’s either eat this or vomit on your shoes. Which would you prefer?” (I didn’t vomit or say that — don’t worry.)
Second trimester: Surfing with a beach ball
Thank goodness you are (presumably) full of more energy in your second trimester, because odds are, your commutes mean you’re standing on crowded trains. Most of your fellow commuters aren’t going to notice or care that you are carrying a rapidly growing baby, and thus, when seats are at a premium, you won’t get preference unless you say something. If you are non-confrontational, like me, that means you’re standing.
Standing on a moving subway while pregnant is like surfboarding while holding a beach ball. That means your days of winging it and standing without holding on are on temporary hold. You have to hold on to something. Your balance is not what it once was.
It also can be frustrating — especially when you might be originally from a region with a slower pace of life — to have people cutting in front of you, shoving you, and checking you like a hockey player to get on a train. Do you not see this waddle?! How dare you cut in front of my poor, waddling self?! (This is especially true when you’re short, and your bump is usually way below most people’s line of sight.) Just take a deep breath, maybe mutter, “How rude,” a la Stephanie Tanner in Full House, and let it go. It is annoying and rude, but there is very little you can do about it. And you need to release your stress during this time in your pregnancy, not let it build up.
Third trimester: No, I will not have this child while sitting next to you
During your second trimester, you most likely couldn’t find a seat, but during your third, people are more apt to give you one… and then run like the wind away from you. Or sit next to you, but inch as far away from you as humanly possible. It is almost like they fear your advanced pregnancy is contagious. But the fear in their face gives them away — they’re afraid you will somehow give birth next to them within the 10 minutes of your subway ride together. It usually doesn’t happen that quickly, fellow transit traveler. You don’t have to worry.
And even now, when you feel like the size of Texas, you will still come across incredibly inconsiderate people. Two years ago, on my very last day of commuting into work before my maternity leave — when my outfit made it very evident I was very pregnant — I not only had to stand on a crowded commuter rail train, I had to stand for half of a crowded Green Line train ride. Due to where I had to stand, my bump ended up in the face of someone sitting down, who looked up at me, shook their head in disgust and then buried their head in their iPhone. Where do you think I’m supposed to put this thing? It’s not like I can just detach my bump like one takes off a backpack.
We could all stand to be a little nicer to each other as we go about our days. If we all ride public transit with that in mind, maybe riding the T while pregnant will become easier!
