Welcoming the Babies is a new initiative which connects parents with important services and information – and each other.
It was held for the first time last year and it was such a success it was followed by a second one this week.
“There is nothing more rewarding than nurturing a child,’’ says Dr Mike Freelander, who was a paediatrician before entering parliament in 2016 as the Member for Macarthur.
“However, becoming a parent can be a challenging experience – this event is an excellent opportunity to expose young families to a range of local services and information that may be of use as their families grow,’’ he said.
“After hosting Macarthur’s inaugural Welcoming the Babies last year, I received a lot of positive feedback from parents and the wider community.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Many young parents and carers also contacted me, telling me that they appreciated the opportunity to mingle and meet with other young families from the local community.”[/social_quote]
The second Welcoming the Babies was held in St Andrews.
Children up to the age of two were officially welcomed into the community by Dr Freelander.
Their parents and guardians were provided with the opportunity to engage with a number of local services and organisations which hosted stalls.
During the event, 42 babies were officially welcomed into the Macarthur region, with parents registering their attendance through Dr Freelander’s office over the past couple of months.
Around 100 guests attended altogether, with the event reaching capacity quickly.
All children in attendance were presented with a formal certificate of welcome from the Member for Macarthur, along with a gift bag containing a number of useful products from vitamins to baby wipes.
“I want to thank all parents who came along to this ceremony; it was fantastic to be able to meet the next generation of Macarthur locals,’’ Dr Freelander said.
He also thanked those organisations which hosted a stall at the event, including Campbelltown City Council, the Benevolent Society, WILMA, Kanga Training and Medela.
