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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to take a baby along?

32 replies

Mouthfulofquiz · 31/07/2014 11:24

This is a genuine AIBU to collect opinions of others as to the way to go.
My littlest baby is 3 months old and I desperately need a haircut. My hair has gone beyond hideous and beyond that!
When I was child free I used to be mildly annoyed by toddlers running riot in the hairdressers when I was there to relax and be pampered after a very busy working week. I used to go once every 6 weeks and have a colour, head massage etc etc.
I just need to go and have a bit of a restyle while my bigger boy is in nursery - and the baby is breastfed (a lot!)
I could express a bottle and wait for the weekend to get a cut of course - but, is it even possible to have a haircut while feeding a baby? Anyone successfully done it? Would you be annoyed by me doing that? Should I go to my usual trendy-ish salon or just a little local one?
First world problem I know - but there it is.

In summary: would I BU to go and get my haircut with a breastfeeding baby attached?

OP posts:

fledermaus · 31/07/2014 11:26

Week day day time it will be fine. It might be easier to find someone who will come to your house though.

Thumbwitch · 31/07/2014 11:26

Can you not get someone to visit you in your home to cut your hair? That's what I'd go for in your position.

hmc · 31/07/2014 11:29

It's not unreasonable but you will probably end up frazzled. Agree that mobile hairdresser is a better idea - or schedule appointment for when someone is available to babysit?

Whilewildeisonmine · 31/07/2014 11:29

I don't think you would be unreasonable to take your baby with you. I never did but I treated having my haircut as a bit of 'me time' and enjoyed a bit of time to myself. If I'd needed to get my haircut then of course I would have taken them, as for breastfeeding during I'm sure it wouldn't be a huge deal to them, plenty of mothers do it.

Original poster

Mouthfulofquiz · 31/07/2014 11:32

I could just get the breastpump out I guess, but I just cannot be arsed with the faff involved with putting it together (I didn't get much sleep last night, can you tell!)
My hair is so long now that it is officially looking ridiculous.

OP posts:

KissMyFatArse · 31/07/2014 11:33

Can no one watch baby for a couple of hours if you expressed beforehand?

BlewShews · 31/07/2014 11:33

Go. I've always taken mine. My now two year old was very happy to lie on my knee or in a small pushchair and be cooed over by everyone.
If you are worried then mention it when you book, wash your hair before you go and if your baby has had enough then dry your hair when you get home. Saying that I found the hair dryer noise made them fall asleep.

choochootrain1 · 31/07/2014 11:37

YANBU

I have no option but to take my DS, always have done. He knows exactly how to behave now in one and gets a heap of compliments on how good he is there. However, If he was going to throw a tantrum and tear up the place, I'd not take him and if he did - id leave.

ElephantsNeverForgive · 31/07/2014 11:38

It would be fine at my hair dresses, I'd just ring up and ask when they are likely to be really quiet.

Or cheat and use the mum from school who comes to the house, but I didn't know her when the DDs were small.

She's great, she does DHs for me. DH would never bother going to get his hair cut and makes a mop look well groomed.

NellyNoodle1 · 31/07/2014 11:38

It's unreasonable - last time I went to the hairdressers someone bought a baby in and it screamed for half of the time - I pay a lot of money to have a couple of hours of 'me' time. If it happens again I will not go back.

I am pregnant myself so it's not a kiddy hating thing I just think it's selfish.

My beauty salon has banned them after having toddlers running around and other staff members/clients being asked to 'just watch him a min'.

IAmAPaleontologist · 31/07/2014 11:40

Of course you can take the baby. Absolutely nothing wrong with that. Everyone seems to go on about "just expressing" and there seems to be this idea that babies have no business accompanying their mothers on normal day to day business. Why the hell not? You can perfectly easily cuddle baby and bf while having your hair cut.

Mobile hairdresser is a good option though too if you have a good one locally. Especially when the baby gets older, not because I think toddlers in the hairdressers are offensive but because they have a habit of trying to run out the door at the worst possible moment and it is tricky to chase after them when you are having your hair washed .

RoobyMurray · 31/07/2014 11:41

at 3 months they're still pretty portable aren't they so perfectly manageable. Although could be physically awkward to feed him whilst you're actually getting your hair cut or washed.

I personally would get someone to look after him for a couple of hours at the weekend and enjoy the break.

indigo18 · 31/07/2014 11:42

Three months! Not a problem IMO. Book for a quiet time and all should be well. Only thing I would consider would be hair getting everywhere- you know when they do that final snip here and there to finish style off. Maybe have a scarf you can put over baby's face if necessary.

CoffeeTea103 · 31/07/2014 11:42

Yabu, it's inconsiderate to everyone else isn't it. If he doesn't settle and starts fussing while you're having your haircut it will probably be very irritating and distracting to whoever is cutting your hair. You once found this annoying with other people so don't think it's reasonable to do this to others.

Piddlepuddle · 31/07/2014 11:46

I did this with my third baby at a similar age as I knew she 'd be fine so long as I held her, she was being fed, or was asleep.

In saying that she was a terribly good baby and I was 99% confident she wouldn't cry (she didn't) and I did check with the hairdresser first. I wouldn't have dared to have done it with my elder two as I just wasn't as sure they would have been as good.

Optimist1 · 31/07/2014 11:54

What if your baby is crying/hungry just at the time you're due for shampooing? Delaying your wash so that you can feed could disrupt your stylist's appointments following yours. Delaying the feed could prove disruptive to other customers. All in all, it could be a far from pleasant experience. I'd go with the at-home suggestion PPs have made; it could be that you can get an evening appointment so your DP is on hand to assist?

minipie · 31/07/2014 12:17

I wouldn't be at all bothered about a breastfeeding mother in a hairdresser but I would be bothered by a crying baby (eg because they were tired and wouldn't nap, or because they were hungry just as you were having hair washed).

I also think you may find it a bit stressful, having to worry about whether the baby is disturbing other people.

This is exactly what mobile hairdressers are for!!

If mobile hairdressers didn't exist I'd say YANBU but since they do, I say YWB a bit U to go to a salon.

bearhug · 31/07/2014 12:25

ah I remember this dilemma. In the end I asked a friend to meet me in town and take my PFB for a walk while I was getting my hair done. With strict instructions to come back the moment he squeaked of course! Friend happy, baby oblivious, and me much happier for having human-looking hair again.

JenniferJo · 31/07/2014 12:35

I wouldn't. Hair will fall onto his face if he's feeding and it will be a distraction for the poor hairdresser.

If I was a hairdresser I'd say no.

myotherusernameisbetter · 31/07/2014 12:53

I took my youngest as he was breasfed and was a bottle refuser - he also slept...a lot... :o

I booked the appointment around his nap time, fed him, walked down to the hairdresser while he fell asleep in the pram, got my hair done and walked home - he never even opened an eye. It's perfectly possible. Hairdresser had enough space for me to wheel the pram in though so that would be a consideration - I think the young lass in the salon was disappointed that he didn't wake as she was desperate for a cuddle.

I'd go with your local place if i were you, probably be full of other mothers and grannies who wont mind a bit - swanky salon is obviously more expensive and people will maybe feel more aggreived if their "experience" isn't perfect. Me, I go to have my hair cut and as long as I come out looking halfway normal then I couldn't care less if there are 12 babies and 20 kids in doing their homework there.

Shonajay · 31/07/2014 13:21

I'm sorry I'm anti it. Even though I had two very close together, it drove me mad going to be pampered to hear a baby cry, even if they settled immediately, my milk would come in. There's nothing more annoying (I HAD to go to the expensive very salon like £70 a go hairdressers) as ds wouldn't take a bottle, so it was the only relax time I got. I also don't get what happens when you get your hair washed, there's hot tongs/straighteners left on, etc. get it done at home.

oxfordmumma1 · 31/07/2014 13:30

Yanbu. I did it once when dd was about 6 weeks. Expected her to sleep but she woke. I just fed her whilst they cut away. Salon was virtually empty though and hairdressing loved having a cuddle.
Since than I have only risked it once at 21 months. Again when she should have slept but of course she didn't. Did sitququietly in pushchair though.

oxfordmumma1 · 31/07/2014 13:31

Hairdressers

StrawberryGashes · 31/07/2014 13:33

The weekend is only 2 days away, if your options are express and go on your own or bring the baby and bf while having it cut, trying to stop hair going all over them, having them possibly crying etc so you don't have to wait the extra 2 days I'd go with the first option. Enjoy the peace and quiet.

Catsize · 31/07/2014 13:34

I breastfed my baby at the hairdressers quite recently. Just make sure you take something so hair doesn't fall in their eyes. I didn't think until too late. She was about 3mths too. Hairdresser didn't seem to mind one bit.

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