by Alyssa Kyria (aka The Funny Mummy)
comic and co-founder of Bring Your Own Baby Comedy
I was too scared to leave the house when my daughter Lola was tiny. I would breastfeed for hours and she’d still be hungry. I felt judged when I got out a bottle, and once my nipple shields flew across a restaurant when I was trying (and failing) to feed her! I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to change her, feed her, or park the buggy, so a lot of the time I stayed home by myself.
Once Lola was a bit older I set up Bring Your Own Baby Comedy with my friend Carly. We wanted to create a place that I really needed when Lola was tiny, so we started lunchtime comedy clubs where you can bring your baby along. Somewhere I could have breastfed uncovered if I wanted to (I was always hiding under a huge poncho) or whip out a bottle to feed my baby without being judged. The day my nipple shields flew across a restaurant (a bit like Julia Robert’s snail in the scene in Pretty Woman) really was not my finest moment! We wanted somewhere everything that a parent trying to keep a tiny human alive needs: buggy parking, toys, soft flooring and a helping hand. But most importantly, somewhere we can go to laugh and not have to ‘wind the bobbin up’ (and wind it back again). A place we can feel like ourselves again.
If you would like to laugh and feel like you again (while being able to do whatever you need to look after your baby) come and see us.
We provide the best comedy in the UK at daytime shows for parents and their babies. When I became a mum, I found that I was ‘mumsied’ a lot – so we didn’t want to do that – our comics use adult content as the show is for the parents. I, personally, was about to jump out of a window if I had to sing ‘Wheels on the bus’ while sitting cross-legged with a group of exhausted and fake smiley mums one more time! So nursery rhymes are banned.
If you fancy a bit of a break from the standard baby group, then come and see us and have a laugh. Our shows are monthly on a Tuesday at midday at the Komedia, Brighton. Tickets are £11 in advance (babies get the laughs for free!) Please note we have a 12 month recommended age limit for our little laughers, as our comics perform their usual material.
