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?

I used to take my dd to morning shows. There was hardly anyone there on school days and often the cinema was empty. dd slept all the way through or woke up for a feed, which was no problem.

No baby here but I think it’s fine. Go and do something for you OP

I spent most of my time by the side aisle door having a walk and a bounce
Do you mean still inside the cinema screening but near the walkway door bit? I assume that as you wouldn't be able to hear the film from outside the door.
Having to walk up and down and bounce suggests they were restless and grumbling.
How is that fair to other cinema goers?
If that's the case it shows it's not always an "oh, it's only a few seconds of crying" or "we go straight out" at all, is it.

I took my baby recently

Didn't even occur to me to question it

My baby had a feed then slept the whole time. Was fine

I'm not sure why some of the comments are so mean. I wouldn't have taken either or mine as babies as they would be guaranteed to fuss and I'd just have to leave after 5 minutes but if you have an easy going baby I think it's fine.

By using common sense, sitting right next to the exit, going straight out at the first little murmur, making sure feeds are prepared or easy access to breast and being aware of maybe having to abandon if needed.

Yes there are ridiculous judgy people out there, enjoy your film and have a nice time. I did it and absolutely never had a problem.

Could you take the baby to an autism friendly showing instead? They allow movement, minimal noise and have lights & music on low. Plus no trailers, it's straight to the film so more child friendly than having to sit through 30 mins of ads etc.

During a weekday day morning/early afternoon the chances are there will be no one else there as long as the op is considerate there is no problem at all.

The op is not talking about doing it every day for goodness sake I don’t think it will be the babies only form of stimulation. It will probably coincide with a sleep time.

www.dimensions-uk.org/get-involved/campaigns/autism-friendly-cinema-screenings/

@Ewitsahooman Apols in that case, I was misinformed. Good to know, as I am in a similar position to the OP and am actually going to my first parent and baby screening tomorrow

Have taken the baby a couple of times to early showings of u rated movies aimed at children. He has been good as gold, either watching, sleeping or feeding. Ds1 is the one we are going for and he is much louder/more disruptive! And as they are showing films for smaller kids there has been a constant stream of parents taking small children out to the toilet.

Yeah the walkway bit, she was a bit older and wasn't too keen on sitting still. I wasn't going to force her because then she would cry. I took her to the aisle for walk and bounce because she did a hint of a protest moan, so I got up from our floor seats at the end nearest the exit (disturbing no one), to quell that; then we stopped that and looked at the fire extinguisher because it was interesting! Then the floor lights they have up the walkway aisle, they were interesting too. All in the walkway, no one could see us. We.nipped into the foyer to look at posters then came back (the doors weren't in public view unless you went down the walkway so me coming and going disturbed no one)

The film was for my mum, she wanted to see it and I thought it would be nice. When it was clear DD was not up for it I was making sure she was entertained in other ways so the rest of the cinema didn't have whiny baby and my mum could watch the film, she doesn't do the cinema a lot. If I'd left she would have felt she had to leave too. If she had cried I would have left anyway but rather not get to that point. So listened to the film mostly, wasn't that bothered about just hearing it, I got the jist.

It's surprising, and seems rather unlikely, that she wouldn't make any noise and you wouldn't have to talk to her to keep her entertained while lurking in the walkway youbetterwork

Your baby will dispute other cinema goers

if they allow it, you are Ok. You can always leave.

Wow 3dc in and I still have no clue how to be confident I could keep a baby silent for a whole film. Is it actually a doll you're taking?

Definitely use ear defenders as the music can be pretty loud.

I had chilled out babies (I'm paying for it now ). DS1 went to several parent and baby showings and never cried. It wasn't an option with DS2 due to DS1 being too old, but we did a couple of standard kids films and DS2 just slept and fed through them.

We went to a theatre when they were 4m and 2.5. It was a theatre that is totally dependent on tourism due to its isolated and unusual location so there were families there although it was an adult play. DS2 just cluster fed and dozed through it. The only time DS1 made a peep was during a police chase farce scene when he shouted "nee naw". I was always prepared to walk away if I had to; if my child is distracting me, they are probably distracting others, and if I'm distracted I may as well not be there anyway! The only time I have had to do that was at a school nativity play. Some infants do have good odds on being unobtrusive.

This is the third thread tonight where the op has said "I'm going to ask mn to remove this now". I've been on here for years and that's not how it works. Op gets opinions they don't like and expect mn hq to remove the thread for them.

I'm going to ask MNHQ to remove this post now as it's just dissolved into mudslinging.

Posters aren't agreeing with me so I will ask for it to be deleted.

If you don't want varied opinions don't post on a public forum. or put in your op you only want answers that agree with you

I went to my local Cineworld this week. First time I’d been for ages. The volume during the ads and trailers in particular was PAINFULLY loud. No way should you inflict that on a tiny baby.

@EwItsAHooman The OP posted an AIBU asking whether it was unreasonable to take her very young baby to the cinema, people have replied and said yes, I think it’s selfish. I wouldn’t really call that aspect of the thread mudslinging?

Sounds like a brilliant idea. Invest in ear defenders and enjoy.

other cinema goers
In the daytime? More likely she'll have the place to herself.

I would do it. Just sit right at the back at the end of an aisle so you can step out if the baby cries. And go to a morning showing so that its emptier. Get some ear protectors for baby.

Age ratings legally dont apply to children under 1 but it is up to the cinema to enforce and some dont allow any children into adult rated films.

I took my baby son to the little independent cinema near me to see morning showings. Never had any problems. Used to put a woolly hat on him or wrap a thick blanket round him to cover his ears and he mostly just slept through them. I only went in the winter months so might not be great in the summer could be too hot to wrap a blanket and you might need ear protectors.