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AIBU?

AIBU to think I can manage this with a newborn?

45 replies

ThePartyArtist · 07/10/2016 12:19

Please tell me if this is total madness...

I am due my first baby early March. In early May there is a theatre show I desperately want to go and see with a friend. Running time of the show is 2.5 hours and it's on both daytime and evening. It's a popular one so likely to sell out which means if we want to go we need to book tickets before the baby arrives.

Is it utter madness to think that I could leave the baby with DH while I go to the theatre? I'm new to all this, so no idea about expressing milk, how long I can realistically leave the baby for etc. I am hoping to breastfeed but obviously aware that there are no guarantees.

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LittleLionMansMummy · 07/10/2016 13:11

I seem to remember leaving ds with dsis for an evening at that age to go to a 40th birthday. Fed him before I left, left some expressed in the fridge, expressed and dumped it when I got home (wasn't happy with feeding him as I'd had a few drinks). Breastfeeding was well established by then and boobs weren't too gorged after a few hours to need expressing. Ds did however decide to refuse expressed milk from a bottle at 3am (guess by then he was missing the boob) and so I had to feed him, despite my concerns about alcohol consumption. So it's perfectly doable op, but there are no guarantees your baby won't refuse a bottle (even if they've previously been fine) and I'd suggest you don't drink alcohol while you're out.

Atenco · 07/10/2016 13:11

I don't know if this is acceptable practice nowadays, but, over 30 years ago, I bf my baby on demand and when I had to go to classes left her with a bottle and formula, as I never had any luck expressing.

ElphabaTheGreen · 07/10/2016 13:20

Book and be on standby to sell the tickets, but that is all. Don't over-think expressing/logistics now as you haven't the faintest idea what things are going to be like.

I booked a show when I was pg with DS1 for me and my friend visiting from Australia to go and see when baby would be four months old. Due to a combination of a bottle-refusing EBF baby and crippling sleep deprivation, I was totally incapable of going so I sold the tickets to another very happy friend. If I'd overthunk myself into a corner over the logistics I'm sure I'd have been devastated (it was for a Globe production with Mark Rylance and Stephen Fry ) but as it was...que sera sera.

Ohyesiam · 07/10/2016 13:21

We used to call evenings WitchingHour as even the loveliest of babies grizzle and fuss after about 5pm.

Buy yourself a ticket for the matinee.

I hope you have a great time

notanetter · 07/10/2016 13:21

Look at it this way: if you book it now, then realise when the time comes that, for whatever reason, you aren't able to go after all, you will easily be able to sell on your ticket (I assume, given that you say the show will sell out)

If you don't book now, and realise two months into motherhood that you could manage it after all... it'll be too late to make it happen.

Seems like a bit of a no-brainer to me; you just won't know until much nearer the time whether you'll actually be able to see the show or not!

HeyRobot · 07/10/2016 13:24

At that age DD would be pretty content to nap in the sling for as long as I walked around for, so you might find that if you go for the matinee you can feed, hand over to DH and you might have a content baby until the show is over, but if he's nearby then you can always feed in the interval, too.

I had some work I needed to do when DD was about 2 and a half months old so I tried from quite early to give her a bottle of expressed milk but she refused completely, and in the end my mum came with me, and looked after her a few minutes away so I could pop out and feed her, so from my experience I'd say book the tickets for the afternoon, and when your baby has arrived then you can work out the best way to do it but it should be possible.

Ohyesiam · 07/10/2016 13:25

And as you will have been feeding for as to around 2 months at that stage, I don't think you will have to express at the theatre ( thank goodness!)

EverySongbirdSays · 07/10/2016 13:28

If the show you are talking about is Harry Potter and The Cursed Child (which is daytime and evening 2.5 hours) GO GO GO do not miss out it's brilliant

Saltedcaramel2016 · 07/10/2016 13:31

I would book the afternoon show.

2 options are:

Get your baby used to a bottle early on (either formula or breastmilk) that your husband can feed

Or if your baby will only feed from you get your husband to come into town , feed baby directly before, at the interval and at the end (probably won't need all those feeds but the option is there!!!

Am sure either way it will work out fine. For my sanity I introduced a formula bottle a day early on so that I could get out and about more easily.

MumiTravels · 07/10/2016 13:40

I read it as due early March, show early March

Yeah go

Don't go early march though

Slothlikesundays · 07/10/2016 13:41

Buy the ticket. If it's going to sell out you can always resell it closer to the time if it's not possible for you to go

Mari50 · 07/10/2016 14:05

Buy the ticket and good luck- who knows if you'll manage to make it but at least you'll have the option. Everyone and every baby is different.

myownprivateidaho · 07/10/2016 14:07

Just book it, you'll be able to return/resell the tickets. See how it goes.

NeedMoreSleepOrSugar · 07/10/2016 14:12

Another vote for booking it. You shouldn't need to express if you're only away for 4 hours or so if you're feeding before you go, and if you're lucky your DC might even sleep most of the time you're away. Enjoy!

Googlebabe · 07/10/2016 14:19

Book it and give the ticket to someone else, if you can't make it.

allowlsthinkalot · 07/10/2016 16:39

I most definitely couldn't have left any of my four breastfed babies at eight weeks. Expressing didn't really work for me and they didn't take bottles. They were over six months before I could leave them at all.

I'd only book if you think you will be able to sell your ticket quite easily.

tristerflexu · 07/10/2016 16:43

After 2 months you will be totally fine. You won't need to express.

madamginger · 07/10/2016 16:43

DH and I went to see Eddie izzard when ds1 was 3 weeks old, he was fine with a bottle of formula for one feed. My mum had him for us, we were out for about 5 hours.

Witchend · 07/10/2016 17:00

I don't think you can tell until you have the baby.
Dd1 I could have for her, but wouldn't have been comfortable sitting for 2.5hours at that stage.
Dd2 I couldn't have.
Ds I could have.

glueandstick · 07/10/2016 17:11

Go for it. We went to a wedding at 10 weeks and many evenings out. You'll be amazed what you can do- just don't panic and settle into it.

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