Welcoming the Babies
Katie HALL (Footscray) (10:02): Next week in Melbourne’s inner west we are welcoming the babies. I am all too familiar with the challenges of being a new parent, as are thousands of residents in my electorate each year, with I think 6000 babies born at the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital last year. From sleepless nights to the perils of fitting a car seat properly, for many new parents finding help and services available to them can be difficult amidst the challenges of caring for a newborn. That is why I am hosting Welcoming the Babies on 8 September at the Seddon Uniting Church to provide new parents with a one-stop shop for all their newborns’ needs – and up to two-year-olds and toddlers. Attendees will receive a certificate officially welcoming their baby to the electorate, and they will have the chance to connect with a range of services, from car seat fitting to mental health support. We will have stalls from the amazing Tweddle children’s hospital, PANDA, local childcare services, the toy library and bush kinder, and the Country Women’s Association will be providing cakes. I hope that by giving new parents the opportunity to equip themselves with the tools to make their lives and the lives of their babies as stress-free as possible they can focus instead on creating long-lasting memories with their loved ones.