It's really important to me that babies and children in general be welcome to stay through mass regardless of the noise, running around, etc. I do find it helpful that there are places like crying rooms, etc. for the occasional times where it may be a bit unbearable. However, I personally wouldn't want to use one all the time - I think the community should celebrate mass together, so to be segregated all the time means that other church goers aren't connecting with me or my child. If babies are happily babbling away, I think this is really nice and shouldn't distract from the mass.

Where I go to church has a very, very large percentage of old people and not many families. DD was very keen on the happenings up at the altar and was a bit of a runner. I would normally let her go off within limits (ie. not up the steps at the front of the altar, but up and down the aisles was ok). This sometimes got me some looks or comments, although most were generally positive (some a little backhanded, LOL!). But I figured, these people hadn't really had much to do with kids for a while and it was a bit of an adjustment for them, more than me needing to be worried. Because we generally stayed within the normal part of the church for mass, DD is now very comfortable with the place and being a bit older will now join in with some of the songs and responses for the mass.

I also do some of the readings at some masses, and because DH doesn't come to mass, I would bring DD up to the microphone with me. I'm sure this was a little frowned upon, but there really wasn't much option. Now she is big enough to wait for me in our seats by herself. I now get so many comments about how well behaved she is (even though she probably was a bit of a terror earlier on). I think this is because she knows how it all works now.

I think I really wanted to make the point that DD is just as valid a member of the congregation as others.