Do you bring your baby to a major sports event? Thanks to major league sports, whatever the season of year, hockey, baseball, football, or basketball games are always in full swing in the US and many women - including moms - even nursing moms - travel to these events. However there is some controversy over this topic.
In general, bringing your baby to major sporting events depend on certain factors. Number one, all babies are not the same. Some babies become quite irritated easily by outside influences such as environment temperatures, sounds, and lighting, while others may not be. Lets explore these factors and how you can make the necessary preparations and custom setups to suit your particular infant.
When should you take your baby to sporting events?
There is not a definite answer to this question. Only you as mom know your baby's needs, physical condition, and healthiness to be able to answer yes or no. Certain medical professionals like your pediatrician, advise parents to hold off on visiting major theme parks and crowded public venues (such as shopping centers, movie theaters, and airports) until their infant is a few months old.
The immune system of newborns and toddlers is still building up and might not be strong enough to fend against illnesses from others in public. At sporting events you're in close quarters to many people you know. Keep your infant away from anyone who appear to be sick when you are out and about. If you're with a group of people other than your immediate household family, request that everyone who handles, caresses, or feeds your baby sanitize their hands first.
Are you traveling to an open or closed roof arena?
It's important to know the layout of the sports stadium or arena you're bringing your little one to. Some sports events are held in open-air stadiums such as most baseball games, while others are held in closed roof arenas such as hockey and basketball games. Every mom want to keep their baby cool and comfortable during warm weather open air games, likewise warm and snuggled during cold weather open air sports events. The trick is to dress them according to the surrounding environment weather.
You can bring your one-year-old to the game, but keep in mind, clever parents plan ahead. It can be handy to get tickets in an aisle seat of your section. This makes it simple to move around and gives you a fast escape plan in case your infant or toddler gets restless or overwhelmed by their surroundings. It can also be beneficial to go to the game with another adult if you're a single parent.
Are sporting event venues too loud for babies?
So as moms, we know our babies are quite sensitive to sounds, especially overwhelming unpleasant ones. Also protecting your infant's sensitive ears are a top priority if taking them to sporting events where crowds tend to erupt in loud cheers.
If you must take your child to a noisy event, protect their ears by using earmuffs or noise-canceling headphones. Try to restrict your baby's exposure to loud noises by utilizing hearing protection. The best way to prevent the loud noises in your baby's ear of course is to steer clear of sporting events, concerts, and other noisy places, but that defeats the purpose of you making the family decision to go in the first place. Regardless of whether you're a diehard sports mom, your child's comfort and safety still come first, so it's a decision you must weigh and execute wisely. Remember, prolonged exposure to very loud noises can lead to noise-induced hearing loss in your infant. Any one of your baby's senses diminishing is never a good thing for their personal growth.
Is cost too high to bring your baby to major sports?
Back in 2017 Manitoba parents Clifford Anderson and Shalyn Meady were upset with the National Hockey League (NHL) for asking them to spend $400 for a third seat for next month’s Heritage Classic so their breastfed six-month-old baby can join them at the outdoor hockey game.
The game is scheduled to take place in Winnipeg, where regular games occur for the local NHL Jets team. At these regular Jets games, children under the age of two years can attend for free and at the regular Winnipeg Blue Bombers games, children under the age of three years are able to attend the games for free.
So where is the change coming from? The baby’s dad, Mr. Anderson, shared that the NHL administrators responsible for organizing the Heritage Classic said, “Everyone needs a ticket; everyone needs a seat..including babies.”
Mom Ms. Meady further shared, “Even for moms that formula feed, they should be able to hang out with their baby and go to a family event like this if it’s their choice.”
We at Moms Pump Here agree. When moms travel on Airlines, they require tickets purchased for children aged over 24 months, and many concert venues allow infants and toddlers to attend functions at no charge if they are under the age of two years. Even Walt Disney World does not charge admission to children aged three years and under.
We recognize that sports organizations are slowly improving and are beginning to provide more adequate accommodations for nursing mothers and their babies – but there is a long way to go. By pushing a family to purchase a separate ticket for this nursing baby, the organizers are forcing the family to decide to do something together as a family (by paying 50% more for the experience) or to send the dad to the game without his family.
Ms. Meady said it best, “I think it’s time for that stigma to end, that moms should stay home.”
What do you think? Do these factors encourage moms to stay home with their babies or take the chance and go at it, enjoying the big sports with the little ones? It all come down to preferences, tolerance to environment of venue setups, and how well each individual infant adjust to being away from the controlled setting of their home.
