Privacy and dignity to lactating mothers

During a visit to the Civil Hospital, Pradeep Narula, President of RC Rewari Main, D 3011, and Secretary Arun Gupta were moved by the sight of a number of mothers ­breastfeeding their infants in the open area of the Out-Patient Department. “Some hid themselves behind their saree pallus, while others turned away to feed their babies as they were embarrassed to do this in an open area. At that moment, we decided to do something to lessen the discomfort of lactating mothers who are visiting the hospital,” says Gupta.

To provide privacy to mothers breastfeeding their babies, “we have installed a spacious cabin (10 ft x 9 ft) at the OPD area of the hospital under Project Matritiv Kaksh.”

The maternity room can accommodate six women at a time and is fully furnished with curtains to provide privacy. Apart from providing free disposable nappies, the hygiene room is decked up with a series of mother-child pictures with messages such as the right way of feeding the newborn, how to hold it and how to manage a troublesome child. “Our focus is on facilitating proper bonding between a mother and her child. The ceiling fan has cartoon pictures like Chotta Bheem and Micky Mouse to amuse and entertain the infants,” says Gupta.

The cabin is embellished with a number of toon posters and pithy messages in Hindi, on caring for infants with dos and don’ts. “Whenever we visit the hospital, we notice the cabin is always occupied and it makes us happy that the mothers are making the best use of it,” says Narula. While inaugurating the maternity cabin, DG Ravi Choudhary complimented the club for executing an innovative and need-based project “that will be of immense help to lactating mothers.”

While the club has spent around  ₹ 80,000 for setting up the feeding room, its Secretary Arun Gupta is open to setting up such special cabins for lactating mothers at public places like the railway station and bus terminus in the near future.