Originally Published January 11 2022

COHUNA parents have been left fuming after a maternal health nurse was removed from leading a weekly pram walk program.

Families were already dealing with significant shortages in childcare for their young children with long waitlists for local facilities, and now mum Jodi Abbott said the group was feeling gutted.

"It was a refuge for us in a non-clinical setting," Ms Abbott said.

"After finishing our (final) walk together, the maternal health nurse announced that she was to no longer join us on the walk as a new manager feels that her time could be better used elsewhere."

This is despite, according to the mother's group, the nurse being scheduled to attend a Storytime session with a similar time commitment.

Ms Abbott has been part of the group for more than 14 months and like other group members she has found it a vital service and wants future parents, particularly mums, to have access to this support.

Emily Hornsby said that the lack of childcare options had already made her feel "pigeonholed into a more traditional role" – which forced her to give up her work as a nurse to become a stay-at-home mum.

This made the pram walk even more important for the young mother and she was subsequently even more disappointed to miss out on the expertise of a maternal health professional.

"She helped stop misinformation," Ms Hornsby said.

"Obviously you can ask your friends, but that information isn't always accurate.

"And it's much more efficient speaking to a group than through individual appointments."

The Gannawarra Times has seen a reply to Ms Abbott, who raised concerns with the Gannawarra Shire Council.

The community wellbeing director Stacy Williams outlined the reasons for the reallocation of resources and directed any families with concerns to make a booking with the maternal and child health nurse, by calling 5450 9333.

"In recent times, council has had a significant increase in funding to support vulnerable families and children through our Enhanced Maternal and Child Health Service," Ms Williams said in the letter.

"At this time, we do need to pivot some of our resources to increase our response to the community's most vulnerable families and as such Kim's ongoing support to the pram walk will need to be reallocated.

"We will certainly ensure that Kim remains connected to the group with regular check-ins via phone or email."

Cohuna-based councillor Garner Smith requested that a motion regarding the matter be included as an urgent item for the council meeting on December 15, 2021, however this was rejected.

The unsuccessful motion urged the Gannawarra council to acknowledge the "benefit that the weekly Cohuna mum's pram walk provides for the mental and general health of families and particularly mothers of infant children".

Council was contacted for further comment.