This Techie Mom Helped Create A Breast Milk Donation Drive For Premature Babies

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女人是多方面的,我们已经证明了that time and again, without a doubt! We rule countries, win wars, land on the moon, give birth to babies, and raise children while dealing with an explosion in our abdomen every month. We create and bring lives into the world, and we have the power to achieve anything we want. When women become mothers, they transform into superhumans. With the strength of a rock and the determination and dedication of a honey bee, a mother is a blessing to humanity. She bears a child for almost nine months, goes through a lot of changes mentally and physically, painfully gives birth to another human, and takes care of her baby. If that does not make mothers superhuman, what does?

We are well aware of the benefits of breast milk. It is packed with nutrients that are essential for a newborn’s development. It boosts baby immunity and is considered the gold standard for baby nutrition. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that a newborn should be exclusively fed breast milk until the first 6 months (1). However, for various reasons, some mothers are unable to produce enough milk for their babies and tend to choose infant formula. But the essential immunity boosters are absent in infant formula. It is also tougher to digest (2).

Keeping this in mind, a mother named Roopa Selvanayaki, from Tamil Nadu, organized a milk donation drive. She brought together mothers who donated breast milk for hungry and premature babies. We’ve all heard the saying, “necessity is the mother of invention”, but in this case, the mother of invention was another mother.

How Did She Do It?

This techie mom launched a platform online called Amirtham in 2016. The platform promotes the donation of breast milk and continues to serve useful during COVID for hungry babies. It helps satiate babies who are kept in the NICU and babies who are temporarily separated from their mothers who tested positive for coronavirus.

This rockstar mom single-handedly handles 9 Whatsapp groups that have over 1000 members. The members of the group include pregnant moms and breastfeeding moms of Tirupur, Erode, and Coimbatore.

Roopa Selvanayaki is a BE graduate who is 28 years old and a proud mommy of her baby Ashvika. When she was pregnant, she realized the importance of breast milk and how some mothers cannot provide their babies with this elixir of life. Intending to cater to this need, she started Amirtham (which roughly translates to elixir), a Whatsapp community that helps moms. Her team also helps raise awareness about pregnancy care, the importance of breast milk and maternal health, and medical care.

An Initiative That Spreads Smiles

Roopa’s initiative, together with her team’s efforts, has made it possible for every baby at the NNU in Coimbatore Medical Hospital to have access to breast milk. The breastfeeding moms collect and store their milk in refrigerators, which is then collected monthly by the Amirtham team. The stored breast milk is pasteurized, tested in the lab, and then fed to babies. The NNC at the CMCH has set up a milk bank with the government to provide breast milk to babies who need it.

This initiative encourages every woman who can donate breast milk to come forward and do so without any shame or fear. During this global pandemic, babies were fed well and received the immunity boost that they needed. It is an excellent initiative by the team and advocates breast milk donation for a noble cause. The initiative also aims to smash the social stigmas attached to breast milk donation.

Even amidst a global pandemic, Roopa and her team have been working to ensure that babies who need the milk receive it without any hassle. We appreciate and admire Roopa’s initiative and dedication. What are your thoughts on Amirtham? Comment below and let us know. Share this article with your friends who would like to donate breast milk and help a baby in need.