To take my 2 month old baby to the cinema?

[TheFrequentNameChangingLady]

I have an unlimited card for Cineworld and very little money to go to another cinema as I'm on maternity leave - there's plenty of films I want to see coming up but the cinemas near me don't do the baby showings and the junior showings are all kids films.

They allow baby's into the regular showings (see picture) and I know I can keep my baby quiet 🍼 so it wouldn't disturb other people's viewing. (Would most likely be going to less busy morning sessions anyway)

My aibu about taking baby with me is about the noise levels - is it too loud for a baby, do you think it might damage ears?

People dont take their babies out

If someone is making a disturbance, including a baby, you can go see a member of staff who will ask them to be quiet or to leave. If the person won't leave then you'll normally be offered complimentary tickets to return at a later date.

How on earth can you 1000% guarantee your baby won't disturb other cinema goers

Well any reasonable person would just take them out if they started being noisy

Showcase cinemas do special baby friendly screenings for £5.

My baby won't disturb other people in the cinema.

You can’t guarentee that, OP.

Well any reasonable person would just take them out if they started being noisy

Nothisispatrick Of course they would, but everyone is still disturbed first by the noisy baby and then the noise of the parent getting up and leaving.

I only wanted advice on the noise levels, not a critique.

However - I know my own baby, I know unless unwell that breastfeeding will settle them.
I am very fortunate to have a very quiet and calm baby.
Of course if they were screaming I'd leave.

Thank-you to everyone who offered constructive advice!

I have Ewitsahooman
They are not always effective at stopping the disturbance.
You are not supposed to have young babies in evening performances, but cineworld couldnt clarify what time that started.
Ie baby with cell phone, the just wslked down the front coming in anf out cusing just as much distutbance.

the type of parent who would take their baby thinks the world revolves around them and dont give a damn if the baby is disturbing others or not

Our local cinema (light) has a viewing for mums with babies in the daytime. The volume is lowered and everyone there is in the same position so you don't need to worry so much for crying baby

I know unless unwell that breastfeeding will settle them.

So you’d need to settle the baby, which is noisy. First with the baby stirring/crying and then you sorting out settling them.

Of course if they were screaming I'd leave.

Which would also disturb others.

Go to the cinema with your baby if you want, but don’t try and pretend you wouldn’t disturb other customers.

I took DS to the cinema loads (mostly scream screens at the Everyman, sometimes regular daytime cinema) in his first year- also breastfed, also easily soothed with a boob.

He fell asleep during the trailers every time, and slept right through pretty much every film. No ear defenders, no cotton wool.

He (I) saw everything from beauty and the beast to wonderwoman and the last guardians of the galaxy film, to my life as a courgette to Hampstead .... and he was fine absolutely every time. Happy when awake, otherwise sleeping.

Often we were the only people in the day time screening anyway.

I wasn’t allowed into a west end show with a baby as they said it’s too loud for them and could cause damage

Cinema is pretty loud these days might be about the same

Of course they would, but everyone is still disturbed first by the noisy baby and then the noise of the parent getting up and leaving.

No more so than the rustling of popcorn, slurping of drinks or people getting up to use the toilet. A few seconds of a baby crying then being taken out is really not that disturbing.

Nothispatrick, you are delusional if you think that a baby is a small disturbance

The only recent experience I have of babies in a cinema is having my recent viewing of the second Fantastic Beasts film partially ruined by there being a crying baby in there. I don’t blame the baby at all (it is a loud film with lots of flashing lights etc, and even if it wasn’t he was a baby!) but I was very frustrated that one of the many adults with him didn’t bother to take him out. Cinemas are normally very loud, I don’t know whether the type of films that you’d want to be seeing would be too much on a sensory level for a baby? But then again this little boy was around a year old I would think, so maybe you might actually find it easier?

I would just book a weekday, morning showing for something calm and quiet and see how you get on!

The ratings are the legal she they must be. I'd not want to take a baby to a 12 or 15 rated film. Schindlers list is 15 and that's pretty grim.what parenthood want a child to see that?

Age

bruffin 😂 Delusional is a bit strong. Maybe I am just not bothered by babies? Perhaps I think you are delusional if you were so disturbed by a couple of seconds crying your cinema trip was ruined.

Plus if you know your baby well, you could get out before the actual crying starts. I assume OP knows her baby.

I think it's fine if you take ear defenders and are going to leave if the baby starts crying. I'd sit closer to the back than the front.

Its never a couple of seconds of crying.

There’s plenty cues given by a baby prior to them starting to scream, and as the op has already said she’s got a chilled out baby then I believe her that there’s little chance of them disturbing anyone else.
OP has already said the max cinema certificate they can view is a 12A.
If you visit in the morning then there’s a high probability OP will be the only person there anyway.
Decibel levels in the womb can reach 90. Cinemas can reach 85. I know they’re not directly comparable (and the results are from one google search only) but I think your baby will be fine, OP :)

"Actually I believe the age ratings only apply to children over 1 year, so you can see a 12, 15 or 18 with a really little one"

They do not apply only when the screening is for a specific club for which you register (so Big Scream set-up)

Outside those showings, the age ratings apply, so nothing over a 12A

For my baby it is shove a bottle in her mouth and she’s quiet as a mouse

I took my DD to the cinema many times during my Maternity leave. We always went during school time and there were never many people there. She would feed or sleep, and never once did she scream. I can remember when the lights went up after one film, the woman behind me exclaiming in surprise "oh a baby". She hadn't even noticed DD was there.

I stopped taking her once she was old enough enough to sit up and take notice after she sang during the quiet bits of Enchanted, and was swiftly removed. She then didn't go again until she was old enough to actually watch a film, and then started with the Kids AM screenings.

YABU.
Sorry, but you did ask. Utterly selfish to take a baby to the cinema - not only is it crap and boring for them not mention the loud noises, it smacks of me me me to take a baby to the cinema and to hell with everyone else who have probably saved up for ages to go there as a treat as it usually costs a fortune.

Outside those showings, the age ratings apply, so nothing over a 12A

and then only morning or afternoon in cineworld

"We are happy to admit Babes In Arms into a morning or afternoon performance with a U, PG or 12A certification." from the cineworld site.

I took my DD (now 8) to the cinema when she was a baby. We weren't at a special screening but it was a film intended for children (her big brother was there too) I sat at the the end of a row prepared to leave the minute she so much as twitched.
I had her in a sling (wrap style) and she slept through the whole thing. One of her best sleeps actually! No noise from her. No ear defenders.

I still can't believe she was so quiet and still. First and last time she has ever been that quiet and still.

No lasting effects.
Enjoy your movie.