Dedicated childcare room in Victorian parliament after baby boom at ...

Three Victorian MPs from different parties, normally fierce opponents in parliamentary debates, are now united by a common challenge: balancing work and motherhood.

Euroa Nationals MP Annabelle Cleeland, Ripon Labor MP Martha Haylett, and Kew Liberal MP Jess Wilson gave birth in September and October of this year.

Unlike Canberra's Parliament House, which has provided onsite childcare since 2009 for MPs and staffers, Victoria's state parliament has no childcare facilities.

From February next year, they'll use a dedicated room inside Spring Street as a makeshift creche — the first dedicated space in the building's 168-year history. 

They will share the cost of a qualified childcare educator from their own wages who will look after their babies when parliament is sitting.

Martha Haylett will take her son Liam, who was born in September, to parliament next year. (Supplied)

"Having a dedicated space where we can do breastfeeds or bottle-feeds will be just fantastic," said Ms Haylett, who will bring her son Liam with her. 

"When parliament is sitting, we can't leave the precinct and pop out of the building if there is an issue with our baby. 

"Often we don't finish till 7:30pm, or if you're in the upper house, sometimes you go all night, so it doesn't accommodate taking your kids to childcare somewhere else."

Ms Cleeland said it was often difficult for regional MPs to leave their babies as they lived hours away from Melbourne. 

"No one in parliament should have to choose between having children and being a member of parliament. Unfortunately, at times, people have had to make that decision," Ms Cleeland said.

Ms Cleeland's predecessor, Steph Ryan, retired in 2022, citing the need for parliament to be more family-friendly at the time.

"A year ago, we got together for a photo to celebrate having more women in the Victorian parliament than men," she said.

"We need the systems in place, not just the photograph. The systems to ensure women can stay if they choose to have children."

Victorian female MPs came together last year to celebrate gender parity. (Supplied: Natalie Hutchins)

Ms Cleeland will bring her daughter Sigrid with her when parliament is sitting next year.

Sigrid is Ms Cleeland's third child and her first in office. 

The 35-year-old said she never wanted her job to get in the way of her expanding her family. 

"We can't surrender and say there's not the systems in place, so I'm not going to have a family," Ms Cleeland said.

"We have to be part of the conversation. We have to contribute to policy."

Ms Cleeland said it was also to the benefit of the community, having woman with broad experiences in parliament. 

"I think we'd be in a lot different position in this childcare crisis, if we had more young mothers contributing to policies. 

"We have a childcare care crisis, a health crisis and regional maternity care challenges. These are the issues that we speak to directly to, we live them ourselves."

Two other MPs, Warrandyte Liberal MP Nicole Werner and Yan Yan Labor MP Lauren Kathage, are due to give birth in January. However, due to space limitations, they will not be able to join the current creche, though Ms Werner hopes for an expansion.

"We're having to 'build the airplane in the sky', adapting out of necessity because of the growing need for childcare in parliament," Ms Werner said. 

"This needs to be a place where it's easy for people, including staff, to have children, so young women can see politics as a viable path."

Speaker Maree Edwards, who oversees parliamentary services, said plans were underway to accommodate more children.

Plans are underway to make the Victorian parliament more accommodating for parents. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)

"We are far behind the eight ball when it comes to giving people the option to bring their children to a secure workplace. It makes it hard for those with young babies, particularly those who are being breastfed." Ms Edwards said.

"Historically, this building wasn't designed for women MPs, let alone children, and that needs to change."

Ms Edwards said the plan to accommodate more children also provided support to men who wanted to bring their children in.

"Without members, there is no Parliament, so we must encourage women to continue their roles," she said.

"It's essential to future-proof this building and make space for parents, partners, and children in Parliament."