Wimmera mothers say they are frustrated by a lack of parent rooms in Horsham.
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Several have contacted Horsham Plaza, which has two parent rooms, suggesting potential changes.
Lisa Woods, a Donald mother of three children under five, regularly comes to Horsham for medical appointments.
She said the Plaza was the only space available for young mothers in the city while the COVID-19 pandemic closed others.
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"There are two of them (parent rooms), you can barely fit your pram in there, let alone anything else," she said. "There is nowhere for a child to sit while you're feeding or changing a baby.
"They're not family friendly. If business want us to shop local, they need to be catering for young families, otherwise it would be just as easy for us to shop from the comfort of their homes."
Other mothers, who who wished to remain anonymous, told the Mail-Times they had taken to breastfeeding and changing her child's nappies in their car before entering the plaza.
"A few times I have tried to manoeuvre a pram into the parents room to feed or change my baby. It's very awkward and unwelcoming, it's also very hard when I have my three-year-old with me," one said.
"I've also used the benches at the plaza a few times to feed but received very disgusted looks and comments," said another.
"It's for this reason I usually choose to sit and feed in my car. Even though this is also quite cramped it just seems more convenient and cleaner at times. Private feeding areas that have curtains or doors should be an option too if people don't wish to use the counches provided."
This mother said Horsham was not the only Wimmera town with insufficient parents rooms.
Centre manager Allison Roberts confirmed people had recently contacted her about the perceived problems.
She said while staff were unhappy to hear about parents' dissatisfaction with what they provided, Horsham Plaza did all it could to support mothers.
"We have two parent rooms with a chair for nursing, a change table, a sink with hot and cold water and a microwave," she said.
"We are pleased we can offer these services to parents and they are regularly serviced by teams, particularly during the pandemic.
"We always think outside the square (when it comes to helping parents). The landlord has installed a baby change table in a disabled toilet, for example."
The Australian Breastfeeding Association lists Horsham council's Maternal and Child Health Care centre on Roberts Avenue and Women's Health Grampians on Firebrace Street as two other sites with babycare rooms.
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Alexander Darling
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
