To ask for tips on taking a newborn to a wedding?

[Movingsoon21]

DH and I are expecting our first baby and have been invited to a wedding in the summer when our little one should be between 6-8 weeks old, depending on arrival date.

It's a relatively short wedding, but a late one (ceremony at 4pm, wedding breakfast at 6pm, dancing from 8pm) and it's a couple who both DH and I are close to, so we are keen to go, but whenever I've seen newborns at weddings, the parents seem to come for a 1pm ceremony, stay for the drinks/canapes afterwards and then go home either before the dinner or during it (or just the husband will stay and the mum will go home with the baby).

I'm hoping to breastfeed and the wedding is probably too far to drive back in the evening so we would stay at a hotel nearby. Has anyone taken a baby this young to a wedding and is it possible to stay for the dancing? I'm worried about the music being too loud for little one but it would be a shame to go all that way and only stay from 4-8pm, especially as I love a good boogie!

There is a possibility we could take either my parents or PIL with us and ask them to look after baby in the hotel, with me popping back to breastfeed, or maybe I could have baby with me for the ceremony and dinner and then drop them back off at the hotel with DPs/PIL? But then maybe they will just sleep through the dancing at that age?

TIA, as you can tell, I don't have much of a clue!

Sit as near as possible to the door during the ceremony and make a quick exit if the baby starts crying.

Otherwise, just take everything you think you might need, and play it by ear.

Took mine to one at 8 weeks, and it was all very easy. We'd originally said I wouldn't go as it was two weeks after due date, but when she arrived early, the bride said we were welcome to change our minds and all come. DD wasn't the youngest there, but she was the smallest. None of the babies there disturbed proceedings.

I wore a two-part dress, so stuffing her under the blouse to feed was easy. She fed through most of the meal, so I had to eat one-handed, but I was getting quite good at that by then.
We didn't have over-loud music, but you've heard the phrase "sleep like a baby"... There are usually quieter corners.

I took DD1 to a wedding at 6 weeks. She slept in the sling most of the day and fed a lot. Don't think she made any noise that annoyed other guests - or if she did they didn't tell me! Ceremony at 1 and I stayed til the dancing started about 8 - had had enough by then plus she liked to settle in for a long cluster feed in the evenings at that age. DH stayed til the end and had a great time. No regrets! We stayed in a cottage nearby and took my parents for the weekend too as my DH was a groomsman and involved in setting up and then taking down chairs, decorations etc before and after - so I had some help with DD too. I found it was nice to have a reason to get away for a weekend, I doubt we'd have booked a random weekend away so early on but I had recovered fine from birth, bf had settled down after a rocky start and it felt like re entering the real world at the right time for us.

We had SIL's wedding when DD was 5 days old. I wore a dress for easy boob access, pram to put her in when sleeping but to be honest it was really easy (she was my second though so I suppose I felt a bit more confident). We had a toddler as well but everyone was so lovely playing with him and wanting to cuddle DD we had a lovely day and didn't leave until about 9pm in the end.

I found at that age their needs are quite basic, they either want to be fed, cuddled, nappy change which is all easy enough to do. You will probably be knackered and not want to stay late rather than it being awkward being there with a baby if you see what I mean.

Dress with boob access, look up can I breastfeed in it, on Facebook or insta for high st inspiration & baby wear.

Change of clothes for you and several for the baby. (One of mine was a posseter and I was permanent covered in milk vomit, the other was fine, but there's also the risk of a nappy leak.)

Time of day won't make a difference. You'll find the best time to catch up with people is either 2am or 7am or 3pm or anything utterly random.

Personally there's no way I could have left my baby even for an hour at that age but people are different. I thought I might with my second and still just couldn't as soon as he was born. No judgement if it works for you, I only mean it can be very different to what you're expecting.

That said babies are at their lightest, sleepiest and most portable (although they require a massive bag of crap) so enjoy.

Invest in a sneaky nursing dress from Seraphine. They do beautiful fancy ones in silk etc for formal occasions. They are flattering as they are maternity AND nursing but most importantly you will be able to feed with a flap of the dress covering your breast/nipple and feel nice and confident about that!

Thanks very much for all the tips, they are so useful! Hadn’t even thought about what I was going to wear or about using a sling etc so that’s so helpful to know! Also sounds like it will be easier not to take extra childcare so that makes things simpler too.

For those of you who were worried about the baby being a nuisance - the baby is definitely invited as was named on the invite (as “bump” lol) and the bride and groom are very chilled so wouldn’t mind if I was sat in a quiet spot feeding for hours or whatever. I also hate babies and children interrupting weddings so I will definitely sit at the back during the ceremony and any speeches and leave the room at the slightest murmur!

Also very prepared that I might have to drop out at the last minute if anything is wrong with the birth/ baby but I guess anyone could fall ill or have a family emergency last minute! And will check with the bride the latest day for drop outs without losing money.

Thanks everyone!

Took our one week old DD to a wedding with an overnight stay post c section. All was fine! Loved feeling normal again and I could eat the goats cheese starter WIN!