We’re in the midst of awards season with the Oscars happening at the end of the month, ooh I can’t wait to see the fashion, the winners, will this year FINALLY be Leonardo DiCaprio‘s year?! Naturally everyone is talking about the nominees, and normally I’d make a trip to see at least a few of them. See what the fuss is ‘n all that! This year, with a little one, cinema trips with Mr WSQ are few and far between. Once you factor in a babysitter it’s suddenly a very expensive evening when you’re not evening going out-out! Even if you aren’t into all the awards season buzz, sometimes it’s raining and you need to get out of the house. Enter baby friendly cinema.
Image via Lighthouse Cinema
Now if you had told me before I was pregnant that I would enjoy a trip to the cinema, baby in tow, with a soundtrack of other crying babies I would have laughed in your face. Now I’m only sorry I didn’t go sooner.
Last Thursday along with two ‘Mummy’ friends for support, the three of us, with three under 1’s in tow headed to Movies-At Dundrum. It was a particularly busy day due to the torrential rain that was outside, and had been like that for days. It seemed the Mum’s and some Dad’s of South Dublin had cabin fever.
Movie’s start at 10.45 and you’re advised to get there 20 minutes before hand to get comfortable. The new parent prerequisite coffee is offered at a discounted price, as well as all the usual cinema essentials, popcorn, check, minstrels to go into the popcorn, check. Not feeling judged for eating this type of food in the middle of the morning, CHECK!
You can bring your buggy into the cinema and leave it beneath the screen if there is room, naturally in keeping with health and safety no fire exits can be blocked, so if it’s particularly busy, buggies are kept outside the screen door. Worth bearing in mind if you do not leaving your beloved’s chariot out of sight, a baby sling might be handy instead.
I came prepared, Little A is very patient and is generally happy sitting on my knee out and about if he has something to entertain him, so I packed my changing bag full of supplies, including snacks, rattles and an abundance of soothers. He started off munching some steamed carrots, fat chance he’ll be munching on the same thing as a teenage cinema goer, played with a rattle for a bit, but because of the timing nap times were slightly off so a bad case of the cranks happened. Usually I’d panic but it was nice instead of tuts(which I have experienced in some places), you got sympathetic smiles. We’re all in this together. One bottle later and I had a very sleepy baby who managed to sleep through the whole film.
I managed to see most of the film(after Little A fell asleep) and to be honest it was Room, (Brie Larson is so deserving of an Oscar as is Emma Donoghue and my personal favourite Lenny Abrahamson) so I was glad to have him to cuddle during some tough watching. Plus as a new parent I’ve mastered the art of serious multi tasking, I’m not sure I could concentrate on a movie without some interruptions!
There are cinemas throughout the country offering this service, here are a few I found.
Movies-At Dundrum. Reel Parents
The Wishful Style Queen 
Leave a Reply