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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:
paddlingwhenIshouldbeworking · 27/10/2018 21:26

Your first port of call is to see if you would even be allowed...if the answer is no then the rest of the discussion is irrelevant!

FlippinNora1 · 27/10/2018 21:30

At 3-4 days after the birth of both of mine I had things leaking from everywhere. I had pads on pads to stop the flow (top and bottom!) I was also really sore. The idea of sitting through anything other than a warm bath with tea tree oil in would have not been welcomed.

I was very hormonal too and would have wailed at the slightest bit of trauma or sadness. Snow White or Cinderella would have floored me Grin

My babies probably would have been fine and just cluster fed throughout the whole thing.

CherryPavlova · 27/10/2018 21:37

I’m not sure it’s fair to subject a newborn to that noise level. Germs are fine. Noise would be unkind.

Dontfeellikeaskeleton · 27/10/2018 21:38

No

butterflysugarbaby · 27/10/2018 22:38

Not in a million years would I take a baby to a pantomime or concert when it's less than a week old. No baby should be taken to anything like that, til at least 2.5 to 3 y.o. As many posters have said, the noise levels would be horrendous.

Because of their thinner skulls, babies and young children are at greater risk from a loud sound than adults are. ... If at all possible, avoid exposing young children to loud noises, such as car racing events or loud music, to protect their hearing, as the damage could last all of their life.

Your child's inner ears may be damaged if he or she is around extremely loud noises or around loud noises for long periods of time. This is called noise-induced hearing loss. ... Regularly being around noise that is more than 85 decibels can cause hearing loss.

Please do not take your brand new baby to this pantomime!

QueenUnicorn · 27/10/2018 22:39

I knew someone that took a newborn once, they stayed 5 minutes, the noise was so loud that they were worried about permanent ear damage. You don't realise how loud it is until you're there.

longwayoff · 27/10/2018 22:41

The NOISE . And the rest of the audience who dont want to hear your baby. Its a terrible idea.

BertrandRussell · 28/10/2018 01:24

People who are talking about the noise- surely if it’s damagingly loud it wouldn’t be suitable for 3 year olds either? It’s a pantomime, not a Metallica gig.........

Lakely · 28/10/2018 01:02

No.

Miscible · 28/10/2018 08:18

Bemused at these people who go to pantos where there's lots of screaming and yelling. I've obviously lived a sheltered life, I've never come across that at the numerous pantos I've been to.

CottonSock · 28/10/2018 08:26

I don't see the issue. My dd2 slept through very noisy cinema at that kind of age.

DrMadelineMaxwell · 28/10/2018 08:29

A couple brought a very new baby to a musical we were watching once and I was sceptical. But, they had baby ear defenders on the baby and it just slept or fed through the whole thing.

Sundance2741 · 28/10/2018 08:35

You don't know how you'll feel or what the baby will be like - may not settle at all. I'd be more concerned with how it would affect the people around me - though pantos tend to have plenty of audience participation so that makes it easier.

TBH whenever I see someone out in that kind of situation with a tiny baby I feel disapproving. Going shopping on the bus is one thing - we all need to eat. Or taking the baby to school with the other kids. But I can't see why it is essential to attend a panto, sorry.

ritzbiscuits · 28/10/2018 08:45

No. You can't predict how your baby will behave and I wouldn't want to ruin things for other people if my baby was crying. I'd personally be concerned about the noise and also the extra germs in a place like that too. People often coughing/spluttering that time of year.

I'd leave my DH and kids to it and stay at home. Plenty of other opportunities to go to pantomimes, it's really not that important in the grand scheme of things.

longwayoff · 28/10/2018 08:48

If I were Front of House I wouldn't admit you. It's inconsiderate of the audience and performers and not good for your newborn who is new to sound. Monstrously selfish.

Thistle86 · 28/10/2018 09:48

I would do it, took my son to a family wedding 3hrs drive away at 10 days old and this was after 4 days in hospital following a csection. If you bf baby will be protected by your immunity to bugs, most theatres also have air con (I’m rarely hot in a theatre).

The panto will only be a few hours at the most, you can always step out like you said if you need to and chances are your newborn will sleep through the whole thing anyway. Plus with a panto it’s aimed at a young audience anyway so some noise is to be expected.

Don’t see what the problem is, if you feel well enough I say go for it!

LittleBearPad · 28/10/2018 10:06

Oh do calm down longwayoff. It’s a pantomime, not Chekhov; the toddlers in the audience will be far more noisy. Tiny babies sleep or feed.

reallybadidea · 28/10/2018 10:08

Well if I was front of house OP, I would admit you.

Ilikeviognier · 28/10/2018 10:10

Think it depends how you feel. Personally I felt like I had been hit by a truck for the first week or so and the idea of the theatre wouldn’t have appealed to me.

Babies do just sleep and feed, so theoretically it’s poossible from their point of view but you might have to prepare yourself to be going outside a lot if they are crying.

Smurf123 · 28/10/2018 10:16

I'm taking my son who will be 9 and half months old and he panto have recommended having eat defenders for me as it is loud.. Worth considering with a week old baby

sickmumma · 28/10/2018 10:19

I think it would be 50/50 wether you would end up being able to go to be honest! How many days after the induction would it be? Have you got a date for induction? As they say 39 weeks but they could push it back a couple of days if the ward is busy etc so may not be dead on 39 weeks.

Induction births can be harder going than natural and it could take days to get anywhere, you might end up staying in longer than you would with a natural birth too, I was in for 4 days with my son. I am presuming there are problems hence the need for induction so I think you need to think of if it doesn't all go to plan and would you mind missing it and loosing the money.

If there the possibility to move it forward at all? That's what I would consider!

Somersetlady · 28/10/2018 11:23

I wouldn’t but not for most of the reasons listed above.

There is a very high volume of noise from the audience around you in pants. Surely not fair to inflict that on a newborn?

reallybadidea · 28/10/2018 11:27

I honestly don't think that a newborn would care about the audience being in their pants. Quite a few of the cast probably will be too, what with it being a pantomime.

Thesnobbymiddleclassone · 28/10/2018 13:11

@longwayoff No responsible FOH staff would admit duh a tiny baby without ear defenders as the least.

Basically @ThirdChildFourthPile it's very selfish. If you're that set on going to the panto, leave baby with a family member. Jesus it'll be in again next December anyway

Weedinosaurus · 28/10/2018 14:16

I did it. Ds was a couple of weeks old. He slept and fed. I’d had a section so couldn’t do loads of walking at that point but we just got there early and parked close by.
I’d say go for it. You can come up with a million reasons why it might not be ok but I don’t see any point in living like that because there’s just as much chance it will Be okay. Give it a shot! You can always leave if it doesn’t go well.