Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you take a 3-4 day old baby to a pantomime?

270 replies

ThirdChildFourthPile · 27/10/2018 13:19

I booked panto tickets in December a few days before my due date. I went very overdue with the others so I thought this would be fine.
It's an amazing panto with west end cast in the Hilton hotel, we all love it and I really don't want to miss out.

However, I've found out that I need to be induced at 39 weeks.

I can get a refund that's not a problem. But I really really want to see this pantomime. The other option is to change the dates and go on the 28th December with a newborn baby.

If the worst comes to the worst I can take the baby out and even drive around with him while DH and the kids carried on watching the show.
But chances are I wouldn't need to. I mean my boobs are right there. And all the do is sleep.

My only concern is the germs. Am I stupid to consider it from a newborn health point of view?

OP posts:
EwItsAHooman · 27/10/2018 14:44

What is too hot for you is different for what is too hot for your baby.

Have you ever visited a postnatal ward? It's like the tropics in there. I'm sure the baby will manage fine at the theatre.

DeaflySilence · 27/10/2018 14:45

Would Panto not be a bit too loud for a 3 or 4 day old baby?

Coconutspongexo · 27/10/2018 14:45

I’ve actually never been on a warm post natal ward 😂

DeaflySilence · 27/10/2018 14:45

Oh, cross post. Think someone just said that.

HazelBite · 27/10/2018 14:46

i wouldn't risk it.
DH and I went to the theatre 3 weeks ago and the couple sitting beside me coughed and spluttered their way through the whole performance, which inevitably I caught (and am still suffering from it!)
Ds1 caught a cold whilst still in hospital (from one of my visitors) a small baby with a cold is distressing for both parent and child and makes feeding difficult.
Going out in the open air is slightly different than being in a confined space with loads of others.

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 27/10/2018 14:48

Dipping - I had my first baby in December - the ward was BOILING. I ended up with a migraine from the heat and lack of sleep and tried to discharge myself, but they put me in an empty room instead, and I had the window open to try and cool down!! The heating was just up too high. (Closed it at night obvs).

SnuggyBuggy · 27/10/2018 14:49

I wouldn't want to myself but I don't see the harm. I don't get the germ argument, people do have to get public transport to register babies and take them on things like school runs.

That said if I had paid a lot for tickets I wouldn't be impressed to see a baby.

reallybadidea · 27/10/2018 14:49

Younger siblings can be incredibly noisy and babies seem to cope OK.

You've never met my children Grin

Anyway even so, if it's too noisy for the baby then they will cry and let you know, not just go into a coma!

Micke · 27/10/2018 14:52

It's not your first, you know what you're getting into, I know with my second he just slotted straight into life, and we were absolutely back to normal within a week (and that was with an EMCS!).

I can't see that (assuming all is well) there's a problem here - take the baby. Like you say, you can always take them out if the baby cries, you can keep its ears covered if need be, it's a panto after all - it's supposed to involve the audience and be suitable for all ages.

BruegelTheElder · 27/10/2018 14:52

You wouldn't be insane not to take him. But I wouldn't personally do it. I don't get the comparison to people taking the bus. I mean, lots of people have to do lots of low-risk things all the time, but that doesn't mean I'd choose to do it. Chances are he/she would be fine, but I wouldn't risk it just for a show. I also wouldn't take my 4-day-old on the bus unless I had to.

reallybadidea · 27/10/2018 14:52

Highlighted the wrong bit Blush

Not to the levels produced at a panto, surely?

You've never met my children grin

Anyway even so, if it's too noisy for the baby then they will cry and let you know, not just go into a coma!

PinkyU · 27/10/2018 14:53

I had my lo at toddler group at 5 days old with my then 2 year old, then the zoo at 11 days old.

I felt up to it, baby was in a wrap and bf when needed. Life can’t just pause when you’ve got other lo’s to care for.

BruegelTheElder · 27/10/2018 14:54

I wouldn't want to myself but I don't see the harm. I don't get the germ argument, people do have to get public transport to register babies and take them on things like school runs.

Right, people have to. But you don't have to go to a show and sit in a crowded room for a couple of hours. That's the difference. You minimise risk where you can. Sometimes it's avoidable (like not going to a pantomime) and sometimes it's not (like having to get a bus home).

dontlikebeards · 27/10/2018 15:01

I work in a theatre and every year during panto we see at least one baby under 2 weeks old. There are never any issues with the baby during the performance, it is always the toddlers that cry and make noise!

As for germs, it's not like the op will be passing her baby around every person in the auditorium! People's lives carry on when babies are born, especially when it isn't the first child.

PinkyU · 27/10/2018 15:01

For all those talking about germs, newborns are pretty hardy. For the first few weeks or months of life they benefit from passive immunity, which is further enhanced if the baby is bf. Whilst that not to say that a nb can never get ill, they’re not quite as fragile as people believe.

brizzledrizzle · 27/10/2018 15:04

I'd do it; life doesn't stop because you've had a baby. Because of circumstance (aka life) my youngest was going on the school run, supermarkets etc at 2 days old. She was about a week old when we went to the panto.

RomanyRoots · 27/10/2018 15:07

I wouldn't do it myself, but if you do decide to take a new born invest in professional ear defenders, the PA system will be far too much for a baby.
Ear muffs won't do it, nor will those crappy things like headphones some parents use.

INeedNewShoes · 27/10/2018 15:08

I just want to mention, because I saw it mentioned upthread, that it would be a bad idea to put ear defenders on a few days' old baby.

I think if you can safely have baby on you in a sling (I say safely because DD did not meet minimum weight for the close caboose until 8w and would have been compromised in a sling at 4d) that would be the only way I'd consider it.

I found that when DD was in the pram all manner of people would come over and reach in to play with her hands EnvyAngry

Jackshouse · 27/10/2018 15:10

If the ‘worst comes to the worst’ you will still be in hospital after a long g labour an EMCS.

mumsastudent · 27/10/2018 15:15

um inductions can take a few days - so don't assume when you will be out or how you will feel

BertrandRussell · 27/10/2018 15:16

@ EwItsAHooman they have-at 14.10.31- we missed it!

Steelesauce · 27/10/2018 15:17

Just go. It sounds as if this is your 3rd+ baby and you have nice easy labours (like myself). Newborns are essentially an extra piece of baggage you take around by this point, sling and feed through it. They'll be fine.

grannycab · 27/10/2018 15:18

I took mine, but booked a box at the side with the intention of feeding while we were there...but she slept through the whole pantomime!

I would do it.

greencatbluecat · 27/10/2018 15:22

Oh no I wouldn't!

(Sorry..... couldn't help that.)

Depends of course on you and your baby's health, how feeding is going etc etc none of which you can predict in advance. Couldn't have done that with DC2 because we were still in hospital due to a chest infection.

LuvSmallDogs · 27/10/2018 15:30

Depends on you and baby. With DS1 I wouldn’t have, I was riddled with baby blues turning into PND and he was a vomity screaming newborn. DS2 I think I would have, much easier birth, emotionally well and DS2 was a proper “eat and sleep” baby, very easy.

I’ve never worried too much about the germ thing, I mean sure, don’t let cold sufferers wipe their noses on him. But if he’s got older siblings, he’s going to be exposed to every bug going round their preschool or school anyway.