Have you taken your baby to the cinema (adult screening)?

[Purplelady1]

My LO is 5 months old and I want to watch the new Gladiator movie. I have no one to watch LO this period. He will be wearing ear defenders and will be facing away from the screen.

I am very fortunate to have a very calm and quiet baby who rarely cries, and will most likely fall asleep throughout the movie. In the unlikely event he does cry, I will immediately step out so as to not disturb other viewers.

Bear in mind, I will be going at an off-peak time during the week so the cinema will most likely be empty.

I am unable to find the answer on the Cineworld website and they have yet to respond to my query I emailed them days ago.

Has anyone taken their baby to an adult screening in Cineworld?

Please don’t spoil it for others. The cinema isn’t cheap these days and my heart would sink if I saw you coming in with a baby.

People over 15 (age rating of the film) haven't paid hard earned cash to be distracted by your baby. As delightful as YOU may think they are!!
I bought 10 tickets to see Dr Dolittle the film version... Ruined by a 2 parent family with 2 under 7 dc and a new baby. . I got reimbursed by the manager who had no idea how they had gotten a baby in...

She then said she lives in London and can't find any other cinemas who do it. So I provided a link with lots of others. We moved on from just Cineworld.

The OP is talking about special parent & baby screenings which many cinemas have - for parents with babies who want to see adult films.

I think the parent and baby sessions would be fine but not the usual age restricted adult showings. Even if you took your baby out as soon as they cried it's already too late, you've disturbed people watching the film.
Also films in the cinema are ridiculously loud, I don't think babies would like that.

Our cinema does parent and baby showings of grown up films so i’d look for one of those

meanwhile someone took their toddler to a 8pm showing of Barbie- totally ridiculous, the child ran up and down the aisle the whole time (so selfish)

please could you let us know which cinema this was?

Why do people think it’s Ok to take babies to all rates of film? Would those who think it’s fine also consider taking their baby to a strip club or a boxing match?

To be fair they're in no way the same @Soontobe60
In a cinema the baby can have ear defenders, turned away from the screen and sleep. That's hardly going to happen in the boisterous atmosphere of the two places you suggested.

Do you have an everyman? I went to baby and mum cinema every week it was a highlight!

@Purplelady1 Odeon appear to have started calling their baby friendly showings "newbies" now.

Sorry I have just seen the link. I saw your one line and thought you were being funny 🙈

This is all new to me I would never have considered taking a baby to the cinema it's just not a place for babies is it ? Unless it's a kids session where they're all being noisy and no one cares.

It was one of my favourite things to do on mat leave when mine were tiny. I often went with two or three other mums. You don't totally get to focus on the film but it's a trip out and at least you do get to see the film. It was quite bonding.

@onwardsup4 the showings that people are talking about are ones that are specific showings where parents can take babies with them.
They aren't children's films because it's not for the babies - it's for the adults.
The sound is generally lower, lights dimmed but not dark and if babies cry it's ok - you don't have to leave.
It's pretty much aimed at mums on maternity leave who want to see a film and can go and take their tiny baby with them who will probably be fast asleep in a baby sling but without the worry of the baby disturbing others if they do wake up.
Cinemas do several special showings for people with different needs.
There are autism friendly showings and dementia friendly showings too.

Thanks well I've learnt something today, I live in Cornwall this has not made it down here just yet 😂

It's amazing when you're establishing breastfeeding. Gets you out of the house and you can just sit there and relax and feed in the dark for an hour or more, and not get too stressed about feeding "in public".

@onwardsup4 according to the internet the Lighthouse Cinema in Newquay (and presumably the other Lighthouse ones) do parent and baby showings 🙂

I used to do it all the time. I had older children who wanted to see the Harry Potter movies when they came out, and a baby. There weren't any mother/baby sessions. I just timed the session for when I knew the baby would sleep. I sat down, put baby to nurse which put them to sleep, and they slept in my arms through the film. This worked at varying ages and no-one would even have known a baby was there.

I know there are inconsiderate parents out there who would let their babies cry but, if you aren't assured your baby will sleep through, then maybe it's best to go to mother/baby sessions, since they now exist.

I don't have children. I would have no issue with a baby at a screening. I wouldn't mind a little bit of crying if the parent was clearly up on their feet and taking baby out when it started.

All the Everyman and Picturehouse cinemas in London have regular baby showings. I went to a different cinema every week!

I took my newborn to see the 2nd pirates of the Caribbean film at our local independent cinema. We had a voucher that was about to expire so we thought we would give it a try. We thought he would sleep or cry but he just lay on my lap with his thumb in his mouth, wide awake and fascinated by the lights!

Barbican has them too - Saturday and Monday mornings, I think 😊👍

Good for you. I do have children and if I’m having a break from them and a bit of calm and have paid out for a cinema ticket I don’t want to hear a baby crying or be disturbed by a mum shuffling out when her baby won’t settle.

The point of Mother and Baby sessions isthe light is on slightly and the sound reduced and you can get up and move about if necessary. Gladiator is going to be loud and action packed at a normal screening.

If you have only found 7 cinemas offering it you are looking at the wrong thing, most Odeans do offer it.