Eve was born around winter. I often felt trapped at home; wanting to get out of the house but not out into the cold. Going to a shopping centre was often a good solution.
Most shopping centres in Melbourne provide facilities for babies such as change tables, breast feeding cubicles and microwaves. Melbourne Central takes it to the next level by making the Parent's Room more of a retreat space for parents with little ones. Change tables are plentiful. There is also a boiled water tap, along with the usual amenities found in most shopping centre parent rooms. Eve really enjoys being able get out of the pram and stretch her legs by crawling around the carpeted areas.
 |
| Melbourne Central Parent's Room - microwave, hot water and family bathroom |
 |
| Melbourne Central Parent's Room - change tables |
 |
Melbourne Central Parent's Room - comfy chairs (why not?)
|
 |
| Melbourne Central Parent's Room - lots of space for relaxing and crawling babies |
Another favourite nook in Melbourne Central is the indoors Community Garden. It's an ideal space to laze about and enjoy the sun while INSIDE! Before Eve could crawl, this space was ideal as I could just put down a blanket and let her have some tummy time or read her a book from the shopping centre's
free lending library. It's not such a good space for crawling as the ground is very sooty and the space is often filled with people lazing about.
 |
| Melbourne Central Community Garden - filled with edible plants (can you spot Eve?) |
 |
| Tummy time in the Community Garden |
On warmer days, we would also pop outside and spend some time in the grassy areas along Swanston Street and then pop back in whenever we needed.
 |
| Enjoying the sun while outside: Swanston Street |
Address: 211 La Trobe St, Melbourne
Parent's Room: level 2, near the elevators
Community Garden: level 2
Free book lending library: level 3
