There are only 70 breast milk banks in the country; of which 45 are in Tamil Nadu. Child Health experts state that awareness of breast milk donation is the need of the hour, and that donated milk can help save infants from dying.
Coimbatore: Sindhu Monica (29), a homemaker, is mother to a year and a half-year-old toddler and has yet played the role of a mother to thousands of infants in the State to nourish them by donating her breast milk. Monica is said to have donated 42,000 ml of breast milk from July 2021 to the present.
Monica, an engineering graduate from Coimbatore has entered the Indian and Asian book of records for her incredible achievement in donating her breast milk to more than 1,500 hapless infants in Tamil Nadu. She donated her breast milk to an NGO named Amirtam Breast Milk Donation which distributes the stored milk to the Coimbatore Government Hospital. The hospital then usually sends the milk to the State Government's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Monica is the wife of Maheswaran, an Assistant Professor in a private engineering college in Coimbatore. "I am happy to donate milk to the babies as it saves many lives. I saw on social media that many babies need breast milk. That was the moment I told myself to donate and save as many as I could. I am doing this as a social service but applied for the Book of Records on the insistence of my family members so that it would motivate many more to donate as well,” said Monica in an exclusive chat with SimpliCity.
Despite providing 42,000 ml for other infants in NICUs, Monica still manages to successfully nurse her own child. Monica reportedly used to pump her breastmilk by using a kit and then store the milk in a breast milk storage box. She then donates the box to Amirtham NGO.
Presently, 50 women have enrolled in the NGO to provide breast milk for babies whose mothers died or were unable to nurse them. However, it is reported that only 30 of the donors are actively donating milk. There are only 70 breast milk banks in the country; of which 45 are in Tamil Nadu. Child Health experts told SimpliCity that awareness of breast milk donation is the need of the hour, and that donated milk can help save infants from dying.
Monica, an engineering graduate from Coimbatore has entered the Indian and Asian book of records for her incredible achievement in donating her breast milk to more than 1,500 hapless infants in Tamil Nadu. She donated her breast milk to an NGO named Amirtam Breast Milk Donation which distributes the stored milk to the Coimbatore Government Hospital. The hospital then usually sends the milk to the State Government's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Monica is the wife of Maheswaran, an Assistant Professor in a private engineering college in Coimbatore. "I am happy to donate milk to the babies as it saves many lives. I saw on social media that many babies need breast milk. That was the moment I told myself to donate and save as many as I could. I am doing this as a social service but applied for the Book of Records on the insistence of my family members so that it would motivate many more to donate as well,” said Monica in an exclusive chat with SimpliCity.
Despite providing 42,000 ml for other infants in NICUs, Monica still manages to successfully nurse her own child. Monica reportedly used to pump her breastmilk by using a kit and then store the milk in a breast milk storage box. She then donates the box to Amirtham NGO.
Presently, 50 women have enrolled in the NGO to provide breast milk for babies whose mothers died or were unable to nurse them. However, it is reported that only 30 of the donors are actively donating milk. There are only 70 breast milk banks in the country; of which 45 are in Tamil Nadu. Child Health experts told SimpliCity that awareness of breast milk donation is the need of the hour, and that donated milk can help save infants from dying.