Cinema sessions for new parents and their babies are being held at Derby's Quad. So for parents who are desperate to see a grown-up film and can't find a babysitter, Cine Babies is just the ticket. Wendy Roberts reports.

PRAM walks, clinic weigh-ins and sessions with the health visitor can only mean one thing – you've had a baby.

So when you announce a trip to the cinema, people will naturally assume that you are hinting for a babysitter.

But not any more.

Quad, the city's arts centre and cinema in the Cathedral Quarter, is giving new mums and dads the chance to watch a film with their babies in tow.

The initiative, called Cine Babies, allows parents with children under the age of one to enjoy Quad's monthly afternoon, baby-friendly cinema sessions.

But the burning question is - does it really work? Can you really turn off and tune in to a good movie whilst bouncing your little bundle of joy on your knee?

I went along to a Cine Babies screening of O'Horten to meet some of the parents and babies enjoying the movie.

"It was really great," said solicitor Emma Hodgson, who has twice taken her six-month-old son, Owen.

"Of course, you can't fully switch off because you've still got to look after your baby, but I saw most of the film. I also met a few new mums, too."

These special screenings only run for parents and their babies. No baby – no ticket.

"The first time I came, Owen was really good and had a little snooze in my arms. And today has been good, too," said Emma, of Mickleover.

The main lights in the auditorium are kept slightly brighter for Cine Babies and the volume of the film is lowered compared to regular screenings.

All you have to do is park up your pram, bundle in with your baby and all your paraphernalia and find a seat.

More than a dozen families turned out to see Quad's Cine Babies showing of Norweigian comedy drama O'Horten.

Despite the initial hustle and bustle of getting in and getting sorted, the film played to an almost silent audience.

Babies laid happily on their blankets with toys strewn all over the place.

The youngsters seemed to entertain themselves while their parents – with one eye on them and one eye on the screen – watched the film.

Thirty-nine year-old commercial director Nikki Walker, of Derby, was there with her six-month-old daughter, Scarlet.

"It was really great," she said. "I was quite relaxed about the whole experience and Scarlet was fine.

"She was rattling her toys about a bit but it wasn't a problem.

"No-one seemed to mind. It wasn't like she was screaming through the whole film."

In hushed whispers, some parents tried to settle their babies down for a rest.

A couple of times, mums got up and left the cinema with their youngsters – but you would expect that in a regular screening.

So, can new parents really enjoy a film with their baby?

Thirty-five year-old Hazel Martin, 34, from Hilton, took her six-month-old son Rowan. She said: "It was really nice to cuddle up with him and watch a movie."

Teacher Madeleine Court, of Repton, had a great time with her five-month-old daughter, Charlie.

It was the 32-year-old's first time at Cine Babies and she said: "I think the whole idea is brilliant. It gives mums the chance to do something adult, but at the same time, bring their babies.

"I'll be coming again. I also got to meet some other mothers and that was lovely."

Kathy Frain, marketing officer at Quad, said: "We are really pleased with how Cine Babies is going.

"Before we launched these screenings for parents and their children under the age of one, we invited people to share their views.

"We are getting quite busy but we are expecting more parents to come as they get to hear about what we are doing here.

"It's lovely to see all the mums turning up every month with their babies."

I really enjoyed the whole Cine Babies experience but perhaps that's because I was child-free and could fully concentrate on the film.

It's so rare for me to go to cinema on my own, maybe I simply savoured the treat.

But the whole experience was a positive one – even if I did feel slightly lost without my two sons!

The next Cine Babies screening at Quad is Anything For Her (15), on Thursday, July 2, at 1pm and Coco Avant Chanel (12A) on Thursday, August 6, at 1pm.

Anyone interested should call Quad on Derby 290606.