Taking LO to church (& visiting new churches)?

Humor Me

DH and I moved and want to visit several churches in our area.  At our old church most everyone brought their baby to the service with them and it wasn't a big deal if they fussed or cried no one cared.

I have noticed some churches have baby cry rooms or encourages everyone to "check" their babies into their church daycare to lessen interuptions to the service.  I don't want to do that while visiting or even if we decide to go there until LO is older and has less stranger anxiety and seperation issues.  Should I just ask to sit in the back in case we have to leave?  Some churches won't let you come back into the service anyway.

What do you do? 

 

weberm05

Is it a catholic church?  We go and ours doesn't have a cry room but a lot does in are area.  We are practically the only one that has a baby....if she gets too loud either I or DH takes her out of church for alittle bit. 

The one church my SIL belongs to has a cry room and if a baby starts interrupting...he'll quit mass until you take the baby out.  He has trouble talking or something like that if there is something else going on.

 I don't know anything else but how catholic churches are...I know ours would let us back in mass.  That's kind of rude.

pepomntpat

We do take LO to our nursery just because she seems to have more fun there. No one in our church minds a crying baby though and when she was tiny we always had her with us.  I would call and ask before you attend the service to get a feel for what they expect and only attend the baby friendly services.  I see no point in visiting a church if it isn't going to fit your style.

SeussicalOne

pepomntpat:

We do take LO to our nursery just because she seems to have more fun there. No one in our church minds a crying baby though and when she was tiny we always had her with us.  I would call and ask before you attend the service to get a feel for what they expect and only attend the baby friendly services.  I see no point in visiting a church if it isn't going to fit your style.

This. We've been putting DS in the nursery since he was 2 months old because he'd never last through the service but some parents bring their babies with them and no one really minds. They do have speakers right outside of the sanctuary, though, so a parent can listen to the service still if they have to take their LO out. 

What kind of church are you looking to attend? 

sbuxsweetie

We take LO to the nursery, but we're also members. If we were visiting somewhere, I'd probably keep him with us for the start of the service, and if he got fussy I'd go with him to the nursery. I'm not super comfortable leaving him with strangers, you know?

Bejebus

Since I pump at work I don't like leaving LO with a bottle during the weekend, so DS goes to the nursery and DD comes to service with me. I sit in the back and if she gets really fussy, I step out. I've never had a problem coming back in (we are Lutheran) and I've noticed that I am bothered by her fussiness more than anyone else, everyone is really tolerant of her. If they weren't, I don't think I'd be happy with my church, KWIM? I think that's an important thing to find out if you're "test driving" churches.

sometimesalwayschaotic

We attend two different churches with cry rooms and I love it.  If LO gets fussy or hungry I just take her out and can nurse her in the cry room or calm her down.  Now that she's older I hardly ever have to do this and we just sit in the church.  If she calls out in a happy manner no one really cares.  I would definitely call ahead and see their policies.  I would not want to have to take my baby to  the nursery.  We want to keep her with us to teach her how you act in church and that sort of thing.  We are already attempting to try to teach her the correct time to "talk" and when she should "listen."  It seems to be working some.  I would definitely not want to go to a church that once you leave to take LO to the cry room that you can't come back in.  I usually only go to the cry room for short spurts unless she is just having a bad day.  I hope you can find a church that suits you!

momofmanyinthemitten

Sit in the back or on the aisle with LO-if you need to leave, then it's easier. You'll be able to tell right away if noisy kids are "acceptable" at each church. Our priest thanks the parents at the end of mass several times a year for bringing our children to mass with us because it teaches them the importance of it. He doesn't mind the crying/raspberries/talking of the little ones.

honkytonk_kid

Just sit on the aisle or in the back so you can make a quick escape if you need to. LO loves the music but gets antsy during the sermon so I usually put him in a wrap and stand/walk in the back until he falls asleep or more music starts.

Honestly, who cares if they encourage families to take baby to the nursery? You don't have to. If LO isn't making a fuss, we stay in the service. If he gets upset, I take him out long enough to calm him down, then come back. Church is a family thing for us.

Our church has TVs in the lobby that show the service for anyone who has to step out. They also have a "nursing moms" room. Normally I have an on-principle objection to nursing rooms, because I should be able to feed LO anywhere I need to, but... there are couches, and foot rests. Or I can lay on the floor with LO and not miss the sermon. And sometimes that is just too tempting for lazy ol' me.

Lastly, we would not attend a church that won't let you come back in the service after leaving for ANY reason. It's WORSHIP, not a fancy pageant that can't be interrupted. I'm pretty sure that God does not mind!