I Gurmeet Kaur would like to share my experience of helping and guiding my daughter in law through her breast feeding journey. As a first time mother she was clueless about breast feeding, as to how to do it, when to do it. I helped her throughout by guiding her and making her understand as to when the baby is hungry and requires the feed.

As a new mom she was too scared and nervous about the entire process of taking care and feeding the baby. I helped her by taking care of the baby after the feed was completed.Helped in changing the diapers, helping the baby burp. Would change the clothes and would walk around the house with the baby.

Made sure that the baby feels safe and would cuddle with him.By these little contributions, she felt relaxed and calm and would rest during this time.I also made sure that I limit the guests to come visit the baby and the mother.Made sure the mother was well hydrated throughout as she used to feel tired while breast feeding.

These little things helped my daughter in law a lot and made her much more confident to breastfeed the baby.Doctor Syeda Meraj Fatima who is a lactation consultant at Rainbow Children’s hospital helped me and my daughter in law to understand many things about breast feeding.

As a first time mother and grandmother we were confused and clueless on a lot of things.Dr.Meraj guided the two of us, provided proper counselling about breastfeeding. I would like to thank her for her proper support,guidance throughout. She was so supportive and so positive about breast feeding and also was always a call away for our doubts and quarries.

Being a grandparent to three adorable kids, we were confident of our expertise and preparedness in raising the little one. Little did we know that this mischievous one will catch us off guard and teach some new lessons on raising babies.

Our baby arrived two months before we expected him - a first such case in our family. NICU was a new world to us. We were all anxious yet hopeful. Each day would begin and end with hospital visits by his parents (45 minute drive). Some days were good and some not-so-good.

It literally took a village to raise this one, especially during his one month stay in ICU. Rainbow hospital - it’s doctors especially Dr. Vijayanand and Dr. Archana, it’s nurses and staff were like guiding light to us. As the elders of the family, we were to give hope and strength to our children. Taking care of the baby’s mother as she pumps and delivers milk to the baby, supporting in care of the toddler brother of the baby while the father is juggling between office and hospital were some of our ways to contribute and help our children pass this difficult time.

It was difficult to be away from the the youngest member of the family - but he dominated all our dining table discussions. We were already making plans and preparations for him to come home and how we have to provide the best for him (at least this could be planned!) We managed to bring baby to EBF in less than a month with our perseverance and the guidance from doctors. We were all so elated! Even today, we celebrate each such milestone.

This baby helped us brush up many lessons of life as well - perseverance to achieve success, not being bogged down by small setbacks, celebrating small wins, and most importantly, family is one of the most important and valuable gifts of our lives.

I want to share my struggled story it might help new mom's who are struggling milk supply issue.

I delivered baby girl on August 27 everything is good everyone are happy. Initially I don't have milk even I press also I didn't find single drop (my baby latch was good) then we are offering formula. It's been a week but there is no progress in my supply but am feeling pain when am pressing my breast. As everyone said may be milk ducts formed so I tried to remove by pressing and pumping. After that also there is no supply then we are giving formula as I don't have knowledge and my surrounded people also hurting me and giving suggestions what to eat for good supply but it's not sufficient (here I don't have knowledge as it is my first delivery) then I searched in Facebook joined in breastfeeding group and somehow Finally I got to know about breastfeeding support group team at Rainbow Children's Hospital(by that time it's almost my baby was 1 month old).

When I spoke with the team they gave proper knowledge and asking me to count baby pee. One day I started without offering formula I breast feed my baby and counting the pee from morning 10 am to 12 pm and pee count is 6 then I spoke with the Lactation Consultant from the team she said that my milk supply is good. As per mam suggestion slowly I cut down the formula in a week. After that I didn't gave formula to my baby but still now people are wondering and giving weird look I breastfed my baby because they don't agree that I have good flow the reason is I didn't feel any heaviness in my breast and always my breast is soft. Now my baby is 13 months old I want to continue at least till 2 years.

Thank you so much Rainbow Support Group without you I would not have breastfeed my baby this credit belongs to you. So, to all new mom's I want to give one suggestion trust your body.

And don't take people words to mind and heart you will end up with depression.

I am the co-founder of Hitwicket, a mobile gaming startup based in Hyderabad. When we decided to have a baby, we narrowed down our choice to Birthright based on the positive feedback we heard from our close family and friends.

I delivered a baby boy at the Rainbow Hospital in Dec'22. With the help of the nurses, we tried breast feeding the baby, however the baby wasn't able to latch properly. Since his jaundice was on the higher side, it was very important to feed him more and hence I expressed milk so that he can drink a good quantity of milk. He recovered soon from jaundice but became more comfortable in taking the expressed milk. I got a bit stressed to see the baby not taking direct breastfeeding.

Kashyap, my husband, was very proactive and wanted to help address the problem we were facing with breastfeeding. Even though I was drained and exhausted, he suggested that we immediately meet the lactation consultant, Dr Meraj Fatima and seek her advice.

Dr Meraj Fatima was very helpful and she shared some great tips on how we can make the baby comfortable and make him breastfeed. I can't thank her enough for the encouragement and patience she showed in helping the baby. breast feed. Her composure and reassurance gave me the much needed confidence I needed as a first time mother.

I met her a couple of times over the next 1-2 weeks and her guidance helped me in breastfeeding my baby. I'd also like to thank Dr Nalinikanth who advised me to only breastfeed the baby and stay away from formula milk and for constantly emphasizing the benefits of breastfeeding.

Keerti Singh
Occupation: Co-founder, Hitwicket (mobile gaming startup)
Qualification: MBA from ISB, Hyd and B-Tech from VIT, Vellore