we made a visit to the Civil Government Hospital in Solapur.
The Aradhya Foundation collaborates with the government hospital to enhance Exclusive breastfeeding and mandatorily implement the Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) training program. This initiative fosters a nurturing environment for breastfeeding mothers and infants with Low Birth Weight (LBW).

The topics covered in today’s awareness program included:
1) Exclusive breastfeeding: Emphasizing that breast milk is the optimal nourishment for newborns and the importance of starting breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, continuing exclusively for the first 6 months.

2) Promoting participation in the monthly village Mother Child Health & Nutrition Day.

3) Raising awareness about administering iron drops/syrup to infants aged 6 to 9 months to bolster iron reserves, which is crucial for cognitive development and physical strength.

4) Introducing the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Program, which aims to provide a comprehensive array of services to young children, including supplementary nutrition, healthcare, and pre-school education.

5) Educating about the benefits of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC): Highlighting the mother’s chest as the ideal environment for a newborn. The goal is to make KMC a widespread practice for nearly all newborns in our nation, whether they are in hospitals or at home.

Rajesh Yeldi, the Director of Aradhya Foundation, cited examples stating that babies should only be placed in warmers/incubators when KMC is not feasible. Therefore, it is recommended to practice KMC daily, recognizing it as a fundamental right of every infant, especially those born with LBW.

Both mothers’ and fathers’ chests are recognized as the prime locations for infant care.