Baby on Board

I was sat, minding my own business (watching House MD on my PSP) on the train on the way home last night, when a strange thing happened...a couple got on the train at London Bridge, waving goodbye to an elderly pair (grandparents, I assumed), dragging kids behind them...they collapsed into seats and started talking (moaning about their bad timing using the underground at rush hour)...mum was hugging a tiny baby sat on the seat directly in front of me and after no more than five minutes a pair of tiny hands appeared on the top of the seat, searching for purchase, and when found, pulled a little head into view, poking over the top of the seat back, staring straight at me with an odd mixture of awe, puzzlement and terror - I smiled as reassuringly as I could and did a little wave and the head vanished a second or two later as grip failed during a carriage wobble...then the hands reappeared, followed by the head and the same look...I smiled and waved again, and this time baby was repositioned by mum...only for the little head to pop out again, this time around the side of the seat into the aisle...this went on and on for about ten minutes until I heard mum say "What are you looking at?", and she peered around the seat, just in time to catch me sticking my tongue out (anticipating the usual head to appear, causing me a little embarrassment)...it did work quite well as an ice breaker though - we got chatting, I told her Flyingpops and I were expecting and we laughed about the unusual behaviour, but we were both at a loss as to what was quite so interesting about me...I bid them farewell at Redhill (they were heading on to Gatwick) and as I walked up the platform, the little baby *still* had it's eyes fixed on me as the train swept past, and off into the distance...

Free Baby on Board badge - TFL

This is a really very sensible idea, shortly after Flyingpops contacted TFL (you can get straight to them via email at babyonboard@tube.tfl.gov.uk, or ring up London Underground customer services on 0845 330 9880) and they will post you (for free - yes, don't go poking around on ebay) with a little note of congratulation, this little badge to display on your overcoat, just to let other users of the London transport infrastructure know that you are not (in fact) just being slovenly and putting on a little weight, but actually with "issue", and thus deserving of a priority seat rather than a derisory glare...

They announced this (albeit small) step forward as a result of a survey of pregnant women in 2006 which concluded with the so called "Mind the Bump" report...and it detailed some quite shocking findings -

• More than two thirds (71 per cent) of pregnant women in the Capital cited rude and discourteous behaviour as a growing source of anxiety and stress during pregnancy
• One in three (36 per cent) frequently felt they had to avoid public transport for fear of having to stand for the duration of the journey
• One in five (20 per cent) of expectant mums in the Capital spend more than £100 on taxis and private vehicles during their pregnancy to avoid situations where they may have to stand for long periods of time on the Tube
• London emerged as the least pregnancy-friendly place in the UK, with 45 per cent of London mums having saddened by the lack of consideration they were shown while pregnant (Wales was the best, just in case you were wondering)

- just at the minute Flyingpops doesn't actually *look* terribly pregnant, and on at least one occasion having the badge has already proved useful to her, but it's still quite shocking to hear her tell me stories of having to yell out "I'm Pregnant" to even get people to let her crush *onto* a full and standing train...let alone get anywhere *near* a priority seat...

Naughty London...still a long way to go to actual civilisation... :(