It's difficult enough taking public transport when you're expecting a baby - but this story about a pregnant commuter left humiliated by her fellow tube passenger has shown just how thoughtless people can be on their daily commute.
A pregnant woman wearing a Baby On Board badge has spoken out about how she was confronted by a man in his 40s when she took the Victoria Line in Stockwell last week.
Raayan Zafar, 32, from Tooting told the Evening Standard that she asked another female passenger if she could take an available seat because she was pregnant and showed her the badge. The woman obliged, but another seated man then seemed to get angry, and asked Raayan why she was taking the seat.
"A lady who was already standing in front of him tried to take the seat, so I made her notice me by saying “excuse me”. That lady realised I was going for the seat, but the person sitting beside it started arguing with me, saying the lady wanted to sit there and asking: “Why are you taking the seat?” she explained.
“I showed him my ‘baby on board’ badge and he then rudely asked me: ‘Where is the baby?’" Raayan said.
“I was shocked – is that the way to speak to a pregnant lady? Do I have to carry my maternity notes with me all the time?”.
"It’s early days so that’s why I don’t show," Raayan added. "but that doesn’t mean I’m not pregnant or tired or sick all the time. It was a long commute and I suffer from severe morning sickness – I’m on medication already." Raayan revealed that while she doesn't have a visible baby bump, she is in the early stages of pregnancy. "As a nation we are losing our etiquette", she added.
No proof of pregnancy is required for a woman to obtain a 'Baby on Board' badge from Transport for London, which launched in 2005. But Raayan says she has seen loads of pregnant women ignored when wearing the badge by fellow commuters.
Hopefully this story will make people a lot nicer and considerate on the Northern Line - it may be akin to the seventh circle of hell, but that's no excuse to act like a douchebag during rush hour. [