Babies and restaurants.

[Frenchymom]

Would you take your baby (3-10 months) to a non local restaurants with a table booked by a family member for as late as 7pm?

No as they would be asleep or wanting to be asleep

Is it a fancy/expensive restaurant? If so no.

Yes. Baby can sleep in pram.
Where I come from dinner is at 9-10pm and every other table has one or two babies/toddlers sleeping in their buggies as the adults eat. Perfectly normal.

I have a 7mo. I personally wouldn't. She is the devil after 6pm as gets too tired. Always home by 6 for bath books boob and bed

@BriansTail

Is it a fancy/expensive restaurant? If so no.

Forgot to add this though.

Your local pub, yes. Posh central London restaurant, no.

Massive difference between 3-10 months tbh.
So it would depend on specific age, routine, temperament and also the type of restaurant etc for me. Most people out for an evening meal don't expect or want a fussy baby at the next table.

No

Yes of course, babies are so portable! Just boob to sleep at the table and cuddle/ sling/ pass around for cuddles/ put in pram if that sort of baby (neither of mine were!)

@KiloWhat

No as they would be asleep or wanting to be asleep

My exact thoughts. I would feel awful that they would be home earliest 9:30pm as restaurant isn’t local and I would be rushing my meal.

There’s a huge difference between 3 and 10 months, so it depends which it is, and if the restaurant is family friendly, and if the baby is likely to sleep, some babies just scream in loud places.

As others depends on what the restaurant is like.
And also age, 3 months- easily, 10months, doable but harder.

I would but my DC have been able to sleep anywhere with any amount of noise (even weddings somehow) so I could still enjoy it.

Yes I would and did. Any kind of restaurant, provide they allowed under 18s of course.

It’s a great time to take them out before they are mobile, and/or when they are new enough to food to find it endlessly fascinating and play with it for ages.

3 months, absolutely. DS was generally wide awake and would have loved it. By 10 months, he had a proper bedtime and so it would have been more tricky.

3 months, probably. 10 months, no. They should be in their bed.

We’re talking 6 month old who wants all the food and can only really be settled by boob at that time. Treats sleeps in the pram as a nap and has a consistent bed time of 7pm.

Yes if baby is happy sleeping in a pushchair. No if the baby will be cranky and tearful, then no one will enjoy themselves, particularly the parents!

Yes probably but I’d feed them first then push them to sleep in the stroller and park them in the corner whilst we enjoyed the evening. I only tend to do this at local restaurants where we know the staff though, if we’re talking a fancy Michelin or somewhere very lively with a party crowd then I don’t think it would appropriate! And I know my baby is a reliable stroller sleeper and will not disturb other diners. If there’s any doubt whatsoever then don’t do it!

Yes and I have with all 3 DC (youngest 10m now). To posh and less posh restaurants.

Our 10m old came to a very posh Cantonese restaurant with us just before Xmas. Table booked for 7.30, we left around 11. Dc3 stuffed himself with everything going and fell asleep just before we left.

Just depends how comfortable and confident you are with it. If anyone had questioned it I would have laughed at them, then told them to sod off if they questionned it again.

Depends on your baby. Mine would sleep in a pram anywhere. Much easier back then

I wouldn't do it regularly though

I wouldn’t have done it with my DS. He needs to be asleep in his cot by 8pm. He’d just get wired and screamy in a restaurant, not fall asleep in his pram.

Can it theoretically be dome though? Yes, for sure.

I've taken ds to many posh/non posh restaurants at that age and even at a later time as he was able to chill in his pushchair, sleep, passed around etc. I did encounter some looks especially from the older folks but honestly I don't know if they were judging me or not which I don't care as it was the only time me and dh did date nights/anniversary/birthdays without a babysitter as he was exclusively bf so he had to come with me.

He became a little pickle once he started to walk though so we just about manage 5pm latest and someone goes in to order first and I come in when the foods arrived and then we are in and then out. In a lot of countries especially from my culture, its a normal thing to do.

There isn’t a right or wrong answer to this. It depends very much on the individual child. And the location.

I have two very light sleeping cat nappers who were/are hell on wheels if not in bed by 6pm. Would never dream of inflicting that upon other diners, even if in a local pub; if you go out for dinner at that time, it’s safe to assume that you will be able to eat your meal without a screaming baby nearby.

However, I have friends whose babies would have been fine with that. They were generally good day nappers and sound sleepers who would go down in a restaurant if tired with little fuss.

Depends on the child, IMO. I’d have loved chilled, portable ones in the evenings!

I would I take my child for dinner with me all the time regardless of her age she's now 16 month. They will sleep in the pram if tired!