Hecklers can test a comedian’s mettle, but a crying baby can break them (remember when Arj Barker made headlines after asking a mother and her baby to leave his show), so Nappies and Comedy is rewriting the script.

Babies are not merely allowed at this show – they are invited guests (with VIP pram parking).

There’s not one single Big Ted or Wiggles skivvy in sight. In fact, it comes with a language warning because the jokes are geared toward adults and may include strong language (it may not be suitable for toddlers who are starting to pick up new vocabulary).

Comedian, midwife and mother, Sarah Stewart, can understand both sides of Arj Barker’s awkward predicament.

“I’ve been doing comedy for five years and I remember that whole incident with Arj, and I have to say I felt sorry for him because when you put a show together, it’s a performance – you wouldn’t take a wee baby to a ballet or a Shakespeare,” Sarah said.

“So on the one hand, I felt some sympathy for him, but at the same time, as a midwife and as a mother, I thought it’s a real shame that new mums can’t take their babies to a show like that.”

So Sarah came up with Nappies and Comedy and the first show sold out faster than you can change a nappy. A second show is planned to allow sleep-deprived parents to have a laugh.

“These are judgement-free zones, so if you need to feed, change a blowout, or rock a screaming infant, you’re in good company – one of the comedians might even give you a hand,” Sarah said.

The line-up features some of Canberra’s best comedians – who are all parents – delivering unfiltered material about the beautiful, sleep-deprived chaos of raising tiny humans.

“It’s absolutely baby-friendly but it’s adult themes and adult content so I’m not taking any credit for teaching your child the F-word,” Sarah said.

Sarah has just become a grandmother, so she’s in the throes of granny duty and she’s already got a great comeback line for tiny hecklers.

“Just shove a dummy in his mouth,” she said. “Or get that baby on the boob.”

A bonus for Sarah is that this comedy gig is in daylight hours, without the sticky nightclub floors.

“I’m 60 so I like to be in bed by eight, none of this late-night comedy,” she said. “An afternoon show, I’m very happy about that.”

So far, Nappies and Comedy has been held in the inner south but Sarah has plans to take the show to “nappy valley”.

“My dream is to take it out to the burbs so I think we could take it down to Tuggeranong, Belconnen and Gungahlin,” she said.

“I love anything that encourages parents to get out and about with babies because it can be very isolating. To get out together with the baby as a family also encourages the baby to be social.”

Nappies and Comedy is at Canberra Bowling Club, 25 Hobart Avenue, Forrest, on Saturday 30 May, 3-4pm. Mums, dads, bubs and anyone else with wee babies are welcome. Tickets: trybooking.com/events/landing/1572747