to take a baby to the red light district in Amsterdam.

[honeytea]

We are staying in Amsterdam for 2 nights next week, I asked my Dutch friend what she would recommend we do whilst in Amsterdam, she said we must walk through the red light district it is a real experience and it probably won't be around for ever.

We have a ds who is 6 montgs old. He would be asleep either in his pram ( with a blanket hung from the hood) or snuggled up in a sling.

My dp and my friend think it would be fine to take a baby to the red light district ( friend also had a young baby) I amnot too sure. Dp is Swedish and he often says I am a prude. Dp's logic is that ds won't remember it even if he does wake up ( which is unlikely.) when ds has seen naked women other than myself ( sil's sunbathing and friends popping in and out of the sauna) he has just stared at their breasts as if he is thinking hmm they have milk too!

The culture of sex around children is very relaxed in Sweden, most people co-sleep and in our
Preparing for birth and parenthood class the midwife encouraged us to resume a sexual relationship even with the baby in the bed, ds was given a children's book about the body which included a picture of an erect penis and sexual intercourse ( the book is hidden for now.) my dp has liberal ( Swedish) views which often clash with my less liberal ( British views possibly)

So mumsnet jury, aibu to take my asleep baby for a stroll around the red light district?

It's just a part of the city!! Where is the issue

Of course not!!!

Babies have no concept of sex. He won't remember. It's when he wants to go in 18years time you need to worry

Take him and have a good time

I think this is fine! I don't think it is appropriate to take a child particularly, but I wouldn't think twice about taking my 6mo I don't think. There are often inappropriate things on our TV when he is awake and I don't think twice about those either. Obviously I will when he is a bit older, but 6mo is still very young to take much notice or care!

We came across it by accident. I'm liberal, but I wouldn't take a baby. It was mobbed, with groups of drunk, leering men, and most of the women in the windows looked very young and sad. And bored. It was all a bit grim.

From what i remember of walking through the red light district in Amsterdam you won't see full nudity anyway, but rather sad looking women in windows in their underwear. (Maybe my perspective, I don't know). It was also a place where my friend and I got pursued by quite persistent drug dealers to buy god knows what, although they would maybe not do that to a young family (we were two 19 year olds at the time).
I wouldn't say it's a "must-see" but maybe I missed something!

Sorry - to be clear, I wouldn't take a baby because its so busy, with falling-over adults. The rest was incidental.

Why on earth would you want to go? It's grim. Looking at women selling their bodies for sex, looking at drunken crowds of men looking at them - it's grim. You really aren't missing anything by not going.

Not much different from walking through Soho with a pram, to be honest. We were there when ds1 was a baby (10 years ago approx) and dont really see the issue.

Well it wouldn't interest me to be honest. Not my thing to go look at prostitutes and their punters.

Not sure why you dh being Swedish makes a scrap of difference and think all this 'oh arnt they liberated about sex and we are so buttoned up' is crap really. I live in a village and could tell you tales to make your hair curl. 😄

Just don't dress up the Amsterdam experience as liberating or refreshing re sex. Just because its legal doesn't make it less seedy or sad or exploitative.

I wouldn't take a 6 year old but wouldn't think twice about taking a 6 month old, especially in the daytime / early evening.

The baby won't remember a thing. You'll remember the sad faced women standing in their bra and knickers in the windows being leered at by crowds of drunken lads.

Well it won't harm your baby as infants are not that clued up about prostitution. You are over-thinking that bit!

I've been to Amsterdam numerous times though and can't say that I consider the red light district to be a particularly interesting section. It's similar to any seedy section of a city with a few women advertising themselves in windows (which is just a bit sad).

Amsterdam is a beautiful city with lots of gorgeous things to see. There are also some good restaurants and bars in the red light district (as well as awful drunk groups of British men). So I am not saying don't go, just don't expect to find anything very interesting.

I'm pretty liberal myself by the way and relaxed about sex. Amsterdam's red light district is just not very sexy, which sort of defeats the point.

Better tHan when my Dad 'got lost' and we ended up there when I was like 12.

Sure Dad... It was an accident
Eyeroll

It's not very interesting to look at. A bit grim. I've been there twice. Once when I was 12yr old (I had to stay in the car with a relative while my mum and aunt had a quick look, but I did happen to see a few half dressed ladies in windows) and again a few years ago with DH. It's really not that interesting.
But if you are going, ofcourse a 6 month old baby will be fine, whether sleeping or not. What's the issue? It's not like the baby will remember it for life or be scarred by it.

thebody - I can't help thinking you have a clear duty now to tell us tales that would make our hair curl! Would Friday night be good for you? Excellent. See you here. 8pm. Looking forward to it!

OP - firstly - don't go. It's not a life enhancing experience. But if you do go, then your baby will never know a thing about it - awake or not. But really - don't go.

Thanks for the advice, I think my idea of the red light district might be very wrong, I was imagining empowered women and a respectful but festive atmosphere.

We went to Amsterdam as a family, mum, dad, me (10) big sister (13) little sister (4). We got lost and ended up there, I wondered why there were so many underwear shops in one place, my sister was mortified and little sister didn't notice anything, so I doubt a baby is going to care. (We're all Brits btw)

Dad found it hilarious.

Yes selling yourself is always festive.

Agree with thebody

I think you do have the wrong idea OP, it is grubby.

Why?

It is seedy,weedy and dirty, with drunks.

Amsterdam is a beautiful city, the red light district is like a fungae infection. I would rather take baby on a ride on the canal!

Fine if you're ok with women being exploited and degraded.

Ummmm, no honey tea, it's not like that.

I went with my mother and sister - we didn't mean to go through it. It's sad in the daytime, I dread to think what it's like at night. There's so much worth seeing in Amsterdam, why waste your time?

Forgot to say, when we went to Amsterdam we did go, but if we went back I certainly wouldn't.

Groups of leery blokes, people trying to sell you drugs (not just hash), it was grim.