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Original poster

1 month old too young for football?

284 replies

charlottetrip · 30/07/2015 09:26

I don't know if I've posted this in the right place, but any way.
My bf wants to take our 4 week old baby to football match on Saturday. I think this is far to young to be going. However when I expressed my feelings it was if I was being irrational and over worrying for not letting him go.
I'd just like to know other people's thoughts?

OP posts:
CheersMedea · 30/07/2015 16:17

Why does the baby have to benefit from the trip? I took one of mine to an office party when she was 10 days old. Didn't benefit her at all! Crucially it didn't do her any harm.

"Benefit" is the wrong question. As a parent of a young baby, you have an obligation to act in the best interests of the baby. Very young babies should be kept out of environments where they are likely to contract infection or get germs - football crowds are one example.

Personally, I wouldn't have taken a 10 day old baby to an office party as to me that seems really selfish. She may not have come to any harm but she could have done. She could have got an infection or had some drunken co-worker land on her! But your baby your choice. Either way that's totally different from a football game.

Drunken scuffles are pretty rare

It's not just about drunken scuffles is it? People under the influence of alcohol frequently fall and trip and rebound off walls. A baby in a sling is vulnerable.

The think here is that the baby is SO young - just a month. It's not really fair to take it somewhere like that unless you really have to and there is no option.

CheersMedea · 30/07/2015 16:22

I think a baby's bottle might be a bit different than soft drinks bottles.

Definitely not if it's made of glass!

My premiere league local ground won't allow in any kind of bottles at all including plastic water bottles. If you buy a bottle of water in the ground they take the lid off. It's all to do with something being used as a missile. They have an absolute immovable rule about it.

I've never tried to get in a baby's bottle but if they see it, I bet they'd confiscate it if you insisted on going in. I would strongly advise investigating the particular ground and double checking in advance what their rules are.

Anon4Now2015 · 30/07/2015 16:24

I've never tried to get in a baby's bottle but if they see it, I bet they'd confiscate it if you insisted on going in.

I've taken babies' bottles into several football grounds including Premiership ones (and Wembley!) There has never been a problem. They will warm them for you too.

BertrandRussell · 30/07/2015 16:26

"She may not have come to any harm but she could have done. She could have got an infection or had some drunken co-worker land on her!"

She could also have got an infection in Tesco or at her older sister's assembly. Do you suggest that she shouldn't have gone to those either? And a drunken co worker fall on her while she's in a sling? Really?

SurlyCue · 30/07/2015 16:27

Very young babies should be kept out of environments where they are likely to contract infection or get germs - football crowds are one example.

Or hospitals, dr's surgeries, softplay...

*I think a baby's bottle might be a bit different than soft drinks bottles.

Definitely not if it's made of glass!*

what century do you live in where baby bottles are made of glass?

Jdee41 · 30/07/2015 16:27

I've taken babies' bottles into several football grounds including Premiership ones (and Wembley!) There has never been a problem. They will warm them for you too.

Yes, this is really sounding like a dangerous environment for a baby now ;)

Anon4Now2015 · 30/07/2015 16:32

All of this is seriously making me laugh. I've taken my babies to so many football games without any incident whatsoever - there are always loads of babies at permiership matches. The only place any of my babies ever came to any harm was when I tripped with my 6 weeks old in the local shop.

So many of these answers are clearly from people who do not go to football matches and are basing their answers on some 1980s stereotype. Lots of people take babies and small children to football matches and the larger grounds are all set up with facilities for them - some will even let you take a pram in.

If you were that worried about infection you'd never take your baby to a supermarket, or on a bus, or to the school pick-up. A football match is not more dangerous than any of those places.

CheersMedea · 30/07/2015 16:32

Or hospitals, dr's surgeries, softplay...

Er... yeah ... cos you take a baby to a hospital for fun or as a voluntary choice. That is exactly the same as going to a football ground.

I would be keeping a 1 month old baby away from a football ground because I think it's selfish. It's prioritising your own entertainment over the interests of the child. It's 8 weeks old - that is SO young.

what century do you live in where baby bottles are made of glass?

I know a mother who insists on using glass bottles for sterilisation reasons so it does happen.

Jdee41 · 30/07/2015 16:33

*Very young babies should be kept out of environments where they are likely to contract infection or get germs - football crowds are one example.

Or hospitals, dr's surgeries, softplay...*

Or other people's houses, the local shop, community centres, the outdoors...

BertrandRussell · 30/07/2015 16:33

I do find the assumption that men can't be trusted to look after their babies really sad. I would feel an utter failure if I brought up a son who got so engrossed in a football match he forgot the baby strapped to his chest.........

BertrandRussell · 30/07/2015 16:35

Cheers- where do you think it is OK to take a month old baby?

Anon4Now2015 · 30/07/2015 16:36

what century do you live in where baby bottles are made of glass?

I know a mother who insists on using glass bottles for sterilisation reasons so it does happen.

Thinking about it, I've taken a glass jar of baby food into a premiership football ground and they warmed it for me.

SurlyCue · 30/07/2015 16:38

I would be keeping a 1 month old baby away from a football ground because I think it's selfish. It's prioritising your own entertainment over the interests of the child. It's 8 weeks old - that is SO young.

Your math is as good as your logic.

CheersMedea · 30/07/2015 16:39

Cheers- where do you think it is OK to take a month old baby?

Er... plenty of places.

A highly crowded environment full of people drinking for 2 hours is absolutely not the same as a neighbour's house or a trip round the shops.

It also depends on what you HAVE to do. If you HAVE to take the baby to the drs, then you have to do that. Going to a football game is a choice and a pretty selfish one I think. It's just not going to be in the interests of the baby.

CheersMedea · 30/07/2015 16:39

It's 8 weeks old - that is SO young.

*less than 8 weeks! :D

SurlyCue · 30/07/2015 16:40

I know a mother who insists on using glass bottles for sterilisation reasons so it does happen.

I thought glass was actually more difficult than plastic bottles to sterilise properly. Is that not the case?

Bellebella · 30/07/2015 16:43

I would be fine with it but then I know my oh is a great dad. He would 100% make sure the baby is taken care of and would leave early if necessary. I don't think there is anything wrong with a man wanting to show his baby off to his friends.

Some of these replies are a little sad, men are seen as the less important parent and mum's word is final. Also we are not in the 1980s stereotype of football matches.

SurlyCue · 30/07/2015 16:43

A highly crowded environment full of people drinking for 2 hours is absolutely not the same as a neighbour's house or a trip round the shops.

Ok so what about softplay, swimming pool, sports day, grauation ceremony, school play, wedding, it's own baptism?

Jdee41 · 30/07/2015 16:44

A highly crowded environment full of people drinking for 2 hours is absolutely not the same as a neighbour's house or a trip round the shops

Alcohol has been banned at football stadia in England for nearly 30 years now (although not in rugby and cricket grounds, which are generally considered more family friendly), and lot of larger or more prominent grounds have family seating areas.

Anon4Now2015 · 30/07/2015 16:51

A highly crowded environment full of people drinking for 2 hours is absolutely not the same as a neighbour's house or a trip round the shops

It's been illegal to drink alcohol in a football ground since the 1980s. The majority of fans seem to drive to matches (so aren't drinking before or after) and there are many families there with babies and young children. Seriously you people need to lose your 1980s football stereotype.

On the other hand, I took my kids to a mid-afternoon showing of Minions at the cinema the other weekend and the people in front of me were knocking back wine. Not that I was jealous....

CheersMedea · 30/07/2015 16:53

I thought glass was actually more difficult than plastic bottles to sterilise properly. Is that not the case?

I have no idea. She says that plastic retains more germs and glass is "cleaner" - could be boll*cks - I have no idea - but was just responding to the person saying no one uses glass in this century.

Ok so what about softplay, swimming pool, sports day, grauation ceremony, school play, wedding, it's own baptism?

Baptism? At 4 weeks? Really? Nice.

Alcohol has been banned at football stadia in England for nearly 30 years now

Clearly a football fan!!

This is just plain wrong!!! What is banned is drinking in sight of the pitch. So you can buy beers before the game and at half time butd can't take them into the stadium. It's only European games that have an absolute ban. Some stadiums will have absolute bans and won't sell alcohol at "sensitive games" - usually local derbys.

For this reason, a lot of people (men especially) drink heavily before they get there to make up for the limited drinking time at the ground. If you are in a family area it may be different but my experience at premiere league football is that there are a lot of people around under the influence to varying degrees.

Jdee41 · 30/07/2015 16:54

It's been illegal to drink alcohol in a football ground since the 1980s. The majority of fans seem to drive to matches (so aren't drinking before or after) and there are many families there with babies and young children. Seriously you people need to lose your 1980s football stereotype.

Actually, the main complaint about Premier League football grounds nowadays is that they are too gentrified and quiet. At some grounds the baby might not even be woken up!

BertrandRussell · 30/07/2015 16:55

You didn't say where you thought it was appropriate to take a month old baby, Cheers.....

CheersMedea · 30/07/2015 16:55

It's been illegal to drink alcohol in a football ground since the 1980s

Absolutely wrong. See above. It's drinking in sight of the pitch that is banned not within the ground. Alcohol is sold but you can't take it to your seat.

Seriously you people need to lose your 1980s football stereotype

I'd stop saying that if you know so little about football that you don't even know that they do sell alcohol.

SurlyCue · 30/07/2015 16:58

Baptism? At 4 weeks? Really? Nice

Not really sure what your issue is with baptism at 4 weeks Confused however i was responding to your comment that the child is less than 8 weeks. Lots of babies are baptised by 8 weeks. Still not sure what the "nice" was for about 4 weeks though. Is there snobbery about what age your child should be baptised at now?