Free pram walks for mum and baby around Buxton’s Pavilion Gardens

The weekly walk takes place from the Pavilion Gardens bandstand and the first walk took place on Monday, October 12.

Nesta Felthouse has organised the walk and she said: “I had my first baby 17 years ago and I really suffered with post natal depression.

“I was told by my health visitor to just get on with it and that was really daunting.

“I was at Manchester Uni and no longer fitted in with all my uni friends as I was a new mum balancing studying and motherhood.

“For so many mums they get two weeks with their partner and then they go back to work and they are on their own and the walls start closing in and the thoughts get too big.

“For me getting outside was hard but when I was outside I started to think a bit clearer.”

Nesta has always wanted to do something which supports postpartum mums and has retrained in baby development classes and in September she launched a new termly class at Harpur Hill Village Hall with different classes for newborn to six months and six months to one year.

“There is more change and learning happening in the first year of a baby so a newborn will have different needs to a nearly one year old so it was important for me to notice those differences and make my classes different for the different stages of development.”

Her classes also have a photo point area where mums are encouraged to be in the frame and not just take a picture of their little one.

Nesta, 40, said: “I have about three pictures with my kids where I’m in the picture and that’s not right, mums deserve to be seen in the photo too.” The pram walks are separate to the paid for classes and these are all about maternal mental health.

Nesta said: “This is something I’m really passionate about.

“Being outside, being away from the dishes and the jobs at home and talking to other mums in the fresh air can be the best medicine there is. “It lets you see you aren’t alone.

“Yes in door baby classes do that as well but sometimes you just need to get outside and a walk gets the blood flowing and your heart pumping and it helps you to feel alive.

“It’s also really good for babies to be outside and have natural sensory stimulation.

“And as we are coming up to longer nights, darker wetter days it’s easier to stay inside but that isn’t always the best thing long term.”

Nesta says she will be out every Monday whatever the weather with her little dog and there to walk with mums.

She said: “This is free and everyone is welcome from babies in slings to mums with older babies.

“I want to create a space where we are all supporting each other and having fun.”

No booking is required for the walks just meet at the bandstand Mondays at 10am. For information on the classes follow The Felthouse on social media.