Babe-In-Arms at the Cinema?

[KnickerKnockers]

Would you or have you taken a Babe-In-Arms to the Cinema (for a daytime showing obviously )?
Even if Cinema policy allows it, is it too loud for a wee one?

There are some cinemas that have 'baby showings' - there's one near me where they have one of these a week, they turn the sound down a bit and the lights up a bit. Selections ranging from new blockbusters to re-released oldies.

Not all cinemas do this, but worthwhile checking on the websites of your local ones if there's a film coming out that you're keen to see.

I used to take my dd to special baby cinema screenings but found even these were too loud and noisy for baby.

Plus it's shockingly rude to other people.

No its too loud, its not fair on other customers and i cant see you enjoying it personally.

It's not exactly cheap is it

Only to a Watch With Baby screening (they were fabulous, but the best films were the ones with subtitles and no explosions, because the occasional one would always wake up and yell during some key exposition).

When DS was very little I took him a few times - not just to "baby" screenings, other things too.

I wasn't rude to other people - DS slept or fed throughout and didn't make a sound. The noise didn't bother him. If he had made a fuss I would have just left, but I never had to. The worst that ever happened was a massive up-the-back-explosive-poo about 30 minutes before the end of "District 9" - swift-exit to the ladies, no baby-change-table obviously, and it took me the best part of half an hour to get him properly clean and changed, by the time I could have gone back in the film was nearly over so I didn't bother.

If you have a less settled baby who is likely to squark then you may have to just to baby showings - but even so if your cinema is nearby then you could try turning up about 25 minutes after the official showing start time (once the adverts and previews are over) and asking whether there is anyone in there - quite a lot of daytime showings happen to a completely empty theatre, and if that is happening you could go in even if the baby was being fussy.

Once he was older and more restless I did restrict us to just baby showings.

We took ds1 in sitting in a car seat. To a big cinema and our small local one. He slept and it was fine.

I took dd to a baby screening and it was absolutely fine - she slept for the first half and as soon as she started stirring I bf her and she stayed settled. There was a changing table in the disabled toilet. We also took her to the cinema on a ferry, it was fine.

I can't see how as long as you're prepared to leave at any sign of trouble it's any ruder than taking a young child who talks all the way through or rustling sweet wrappers/checking a phone/asking stupid questions or the umpteen other cinema annoyances - in fact I would say those things are far ruder!

Re turning up late - my nearest cinema has a policy of no entering after 15(?) mins. They didn't let me in at 20 mins late.

Anyway, I've take two children and a newborn to a kids film. LO slept, fed or watched quietly each time.

I've considered taking her with me to something other than a PG, but I decided not to. I think other people would be understandably annoyed if she did get noisy. Personallt I would stick to the Newbies type screenings/mums with babies.

Smart phones! I meant Taken and personally - obviously.

I took mine to the cinema (baby screenings and not) when they were very small (less than 6 months) and they were fine. Even DS who has very keen hearing didn't mind the noise. Mainly they would sleep all the way through - or feed. Baby cinema was really funny, as soon as the film would stop you'd hear everyone clicking their bras back up!

Once they get mobile it gets harder. They don't want to be cooped up on a lap for 2 hours.

I want to take my older DC's to see Brave this summer but can't see DD2 (14mo) sitting through it.

I took DD when she was six weeks old. It was a Monday morning and we were the only people in and she slept/fed through the whole thing

I went again a month or so later and she woke up when we arrived, wouldn't settle due to all the noise, and started crying after half an hour so I has to leave (there was only two other people in but obv couldn't stay). I has DS with me too (I only went for his sake) and it was the biggest stress and hassle and an expensive mistake. I'm not going to take her again.

I took DD regularly while I was on maternity leave. Where we lived they didn't do baby screenings but the rule was you could take a babe-in-arms to anything that was PG, U (and possibly 12A but I'm not sure on that one) mornings or early afternoons only.

Most times she just BF and slept. Usually there were very few people there. I remember after one film when the lights went up a lady sitting behind me said "oh, a baby" so clearly hadn't been disturbed by her

We had to give up going after Enchanted, when she decided to "sing" all the way through the quiet bits Luckily DH had come to that one and was able to take her out.

Only to the "with baby" screenings.

Yes it's loud (try wisps of cotton wool in the ears).

Bear in mind that the certificate of the film applies to all in the audience unless it is a specified baby screening. You cannot take babies in to other 12/15/18 films.

Also, in baby screenings, most wailing, pacing and even changing in the aisle is all OK. Even matinees of U films that are clearly aimed at children do not encourage all that, and you may be asked to leave if too intrusive to the other customers.

No, I'd be concerned about her getting upset and crying during the film and for that reason wouldn't go. I also had to miss out on going to a science festival and listening to some speakers on Sat for this very reason, it didn't seem fair on others (LO is only 4.5 weeks). If/when she's older and I was fairly confident she wouldn't be disruptive and would also get something out of going then I may take her, but would imagine she wouldn't classify as a 'babe-in-arms' anymore.

I have just checked and Cinema is happy to admit babies under 18 months at morning and afternoon showings of U, PG and 12A films. I was considering taking DS2 (6 years) DS1 (9years) and DNeph who is visiting (14 years) to see Batman tomorrow lunchtime to keep them out of the peak of the sun and heat but I think I will give it a miss as the volume is my main concern really - I wish I had a cute pair of those earmuffs festival babies wear . Also as it is a new release there will be a lot of Fans there who may get the hump if next to a b/f Mother (he is not a fusser but Babies can be unpredictable natch')? What do you think?

I think the hard core Batman fans would be very very cross about a baby crying in the quiet bits, and the noisy bits will be very noisy .

I would also be very wary about taking a 9 year old, let alone a 6 year old to see new Batman, which by all accounts is quite a tough 12A.

I've done it, baby screenings and once at a normal daytime screening. I timed it to co-incide with a nap, so had a sleeping baby pretty much all the way through.

KnickerKnockers, I once made some 'ear defenders' for my 4-month old out of a pair of breast shells, some cotton wool and a hairband. They had the added bonus of looking hilarious.