READY FOR FUN: Back from left, Ella Baker-Dryden, 20 months, Nigella Bonner, 3, Ethan Jackson, 10 months, Mia Packer, nine months and front, Henry Bonner, eight months, are ready for the Baby's Day Out market day in Anzac Park this weekend. Photo: Geoff O’Neill 251012GOB01
Tamworth’s Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) will hold a special event in Anzac Park tomorrow celebrating all things baby.
This is the second year the association have held a market day in the park for the annual Baby’s Day Out festivities.
The day is part of an Australia-wide move to encourage and empower women to feel comfortable and confident getting out with their babies, children, friends and families, to enjoy time together.
Tamworth’s ABA group leader Sarah-Jane Bonner said there was still a lot of social stigma attached to feeding babies in public.
“The idea of Baby’s Day Out is to get babies seen in the community. Often people with small children become marginalised,” Mrs Bonner said.
“Babies are an important part of our busy lives and don’t need to be hidden away in prams or fed under blankets or in separate rooms.”
Breastfeeding councillor Laura Hughes added that women need to feel comfortable in their surroundings, which is often not the case.
“There are places you go where you don’t feel as comfortable as you should feel,” she said.
“New mums come to the group and often say they feel awkward especially for the first couple of times they get out.”
The market day will run from 9am to 2pm and will be located near the play equipment.
There will be a sausage sizzle and activities for the whole family.
About 30 stalls will offer a range of products from baby and children’s clothing, shoes and accessories to handcrafted homewares, jewellery and delicious fudge.
Mrs Bonner said she was hoping the event would attract large numbers and would love for it to register with the community.
“We hope people will associate the last Saturday in October every year with our Baby’s Day Out market day.”
Armidale will also hold a Baby’s Day Out expo tomorrow at the Town Hall in Rusden St from 9am to 3pm.
