Delhi sees a welcome spurt in feeding-friendly spaces

In the waiting room of a private clinic in Delhi are two cubicles with a board that reads: Breastfeeding Room. Quite a few women with babies cradled in their arms make their way in. It’s a welcome idea for women who struggle to feed in public, often wary of the male gaze.

Set up by Nestle India in various clinics and hospitals, each of these 4 sq-ft spaces for nursing mothers in bright blue also has illustrations on benefits of breastfeeding, besides basic furnishings.

“Though women are more confident now, breastfeeding in open spaces can be uncomfortable. Dedicated nursing rooms offer a stress-free space,” says Dr Anuja Shrivastava of Genesis Hospital, Delhi, which has four such rooms. “Response to these cubicles has been very positive,” she says.

Speaking to DNA, a Nestle India spokesperson said the plan is to provide 1,000 such private rooms across 150 cities. “The idea to set up exclusive nursing rooms originated from the understanding that breastfeeding outside home is one of the major challenges mothers face. At clinics for example, mothers normally encounter large waiting times and such a facility can be helpful,” the spokesperson said. So far, most of these rooms have been set up in private clinics, besides a few in government hospitals and local markets.

A similar concept is also being implemented in Madhya Pradesh where UNICEF is working with the state government, said Gayatri Singh, Child development specialist, UNICEF.

In Maharashtra though, this concept — called Hirkani Kaksh in the local language — has been functional for several years now. The scheme is named after a woman named Hirkani, who according to a folklore, scaled a 1,000-foot cliff to feed her baby after she was accidentally locked outside the fort gates in Raigad.

The concept was first implemented in 2008 by Dr Nipun Vinayak, who was the then collector of Raigad District. Later, these rooms were set up in primary health centres, district hospitals, bus stops and religious places in various districts of Maharashtra, said Dr Prashant Gangal, Mother Support and Training Coordinator, BPNI (Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India) Maharashtra.

He said that while the concept originated at BPNI, it has been implemented by the state government, and has also received support from UNICEF.

The combined efforts have helped establish thousands of such spaces where women conveniently breastfeed, and are also encouraged to express breast milk and store it.

Dr Gangal believes that Maharashtra’s nursing rooms concept is a model for other states to emulate. What makes this model stand apart is the education and assistance provided by a government or independent agency at these rooms.

“Railways had announced establishment of Janani Kaksha last year. Most airports and some major railway stations have feeding rooms. However, they are just the physical facilities lacking in the concept of the Hirkani Kaksh. It’s a project that should be implemented by government bodies rather than private companies, as that brings in the risk of patronisation by infant milk or bottle manufacturers. There’s also risk of misrepresentation,” he says.

While, there is no provision under the Union Health Ministry to set up private spaces for nursing mothers, Vandana Gurnani, Joint Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, does agree that it’s needed. “Certainly, there is a need for breastfeeding rooms, and this demand can be raised.” The matter falls under the jurisdiction of two ministries — Health  Ministry and Women and Child Development Ministry, she says.

A WAY TO SAVE LIVES

According to UNICEF, breast-feeding can save around 1.8 lakh children under the age of 5 every year in India. It recommends breast-feeding for two years, subsisted with appropriate complimentary feeding six months after birth. Among the various reasons, it also lists lack of support as an issue discouraging breast-feeding, which includes lack of nursing rooms.