To take my 8-week-old to a pub early evening?

[boy2026]

Would IBU to attend a group activity (foreign language exchange) in a pub with my 8-week-old? The group meets on a weekday evening (not Friday) 7-9pm. Social drinking (not me as I will be driving) but nothing rowdy. Baby is breastfed so I can't attend unless I take them.

YABU - inappropriate to take a baby to a pub at this time
YANBU - no issues

Forgot to add: baby will most likely be asleep in a sling for most if not all of the time.

Depends if you leave if they cry.

Sounds fine. Might slightly depend on the pub but most soft plays I have been in are far worse than the most grotty pubs!

Of course you can take children to the pub! Maybe pubs have playgrounds and children’s menus. Unless it’s a nightclub or has a ‘no children after 8pm’ policy, then I don’t think there is an issue. I remember going to the pub for lunch when our was 4 days old.

As long as the rest of the group don’t mind if people bring their children, I can’t see the problem.

I'm not so much worried about baby as like I said I imagine he will be asleep on me most of the time! My question is more is it socially acceptable to have a baby in the pub at that time? I would absolutely leave if he cried, but he's a pretty placid baby and sleepy at that time of day so hopefully unlikely. I'll check the pub's rules.

I would not be happy if I was a part of that group. I am allergic to kids and specifically look for adult evening activities to ensure there are no kids.

Yes, make the most of the sweet spot when they sleep all the time! You may find it’s something you need to stop doing for a bit as their routine changes, but it will be possible again when they have an earlier bedtime and more consistent naps and you can attend alone. You can always leave if they wake up crying and try again another week.

Go for it, it’s so important to do new things just for yourself to keep your brain happy.

It's fine as long as your baby is fairly happy and settled, many pubs at 6pm are welcoming of families anyway

I did, quite a few times! We would often stop in the pub or our little brewery for one drink after walking the dogs. DD had reflux and was always in a sling. We have a great photo of DH holding little 6 week old DD outside our local brewery, and another one of him holding her in exactly the same place on her 3rd birthday 😂

I’m delighted whenever someone brings along a newborn baby somewhere but I suppose it’s possible that some people might feel differently. But if I were you, I wouldn’t worry about that too much. Go out and give it a try

Sorry to be a grinch, but I agree with @TheoreticallyAdult. When babies are taken into these kinds of settings, all the focus and attention tends to go to them, which means that whatever you're actually meeting about can get sidelined a little. I dropped out of a book club once because of this. Very little talking about the books, and lots of cooing over one of the member's new baby. I'm aware that this makes me sound like the miserable person I am. 😁

But just in terms of taking babies into pubs, I think you're fine.

I’d be fine with this as long as the baby was quiet (ish) also I’d appreciate how good it is for new mums to get out and about. I’d rather have a reasonably placid baby than an annoying dog, put it that way!

But only you know what the people at your group are like. You could always ask I suppose or just take the baby once and see what the vibe is like.

You don't sound miserable at all @DreamOfTheRarebitFiend or @TheoreticallyAdult ! Fair enough to want adult only time. I have messaged the organiser to ask. If they say it's OK, I might aim to attend for just half the time at first so there will still be some baby-free time.

Oh yes take advantage of this time!! We took DS to house parties, posh restaurants, cocktails. Never got anything other than lovely comments. If DS grumbled, he went on the boob, sorted and quiet!

When you hit 12-16 weeks, you will be tied to 7-8pm bedtime for YEARS.

I'm so glad we made the most of it when we could. We didn't stay long, around 1.5 -2 hours usually and we were shattered but equally made some nice memories.

Of course it's fine! Go and enjoy. Just be prepared to head outside or leave if the baby is grumbly or crying. Although a breastfed baby at 8 weeks should be fine to leave for 2 hours with their dad or a grandparent.

I’ve also had to drop out of groups when people start bringing babies. I can’t have children (many many miscarriages) and I find the constant talking about babies and being asked if I want to hold the baby which leads on to when am I having babies etc is too much. So now if that was to happen I’d just leave immediately unfortunately. I am aware this is my problem though not the person with the baby. I accept I will be excluded from these things.

It's perfectly fine, went to the pub all the time when our eldest was that young. It's much harder as they get older actually, so make the most of it!

However, all our local pubs have to stop serving parents around 8pm as part of their license. I think it's stop serving parents at 8pm, and children have to leave the premises by 8:30pm, but could be 30 min earlier than that.

It's passed the kids bedtime now so we haven't actually stayed that late since our eldest was sleeping in a pushchair!

Honestly, I couldn't leave mine for more than 1.5 hours - 2 hours MAX until about 4 months which meant that, including travel time, I could only be somewhere for an 1 hour at most. It also fucked up timings because I could only leave right after DS would have a feed so I was invariably late and stressed. And when I got home, DS would be screaming of hunger already. Only tried this a few times. Much easier to take baby with you at this age.

I've never experienced that with a baby that young. It would annoy me too as the parent tbh, you don't go to those groups to talk about your kids!

But once they start being mobile etc it's different, then they just want/need the attention and you can't just take them everywhere with you anymore.

Hi OP we have a local book club (often at the local pub Tuesday evening same time) and when baby was little I took them along and they slept. Never had an issue. If they were unsettled I would just go home early but they never were. I did this with my last two babies actually. Good luck 🍀

As a one off i think it is fine. If you plan to take him for the next few months then no, the other adults there are out for adult company not to have to put up with children.

It really depends on your group dynamics I think. Will the floodgates open with all the other parents of newborns bringing them along, then suddenly a toddler needs to come if childcare fslls through etc etc.....

I think it’s fine, but equally is it fine to leave a breastfed baby for just over 2 hours.
You feed them before you go and on your return, they won’t be starving in a 2 hour period and the dad will learn how to settle.

I don’t think it’s appropriate for them to be in a pub 7-9pm.
Also if I were a member of the group I’d be pissed if because I’d expect an evening group to be adult only. Babies and children change the dynamic whether that’s because they cry/fuss or interrupt or because other people start to speak about them.
I’m sure others will disagree with me but you did ask for opinions and this is mine.

Sounds fine to me.

At this age they can easily melt into the background and no need to be a focus or distraction.

Mine would have just slept in a carrier for the two hours.