Gramin Vikas Sansthan

"Earlier we listened to what our mother-in-law told us, now we listen to the VHW," said Kismatun of village Kumbhi. Kismatun has six children. Her eldest is 15 years old and the youngest six months. Earlier they believed the baby should not be given mother's milk till three days were over - because on the third day the midwife, a woman of a particular 'untouchable' caste, came and gave her a massage for speedy healing. Following norms of untouchability, it was advised the newborn baby only be given a little honey or a few drops of cow or goat milk. Five of Kismatun's children were fed thus.

By the time she conceived the sixth child, she had come into contact with VHW Shailkumari, who began by asking her what she had eaten in the last 24 hours. After analysing her diet pattern, the VHW recommended changes. For example, when Kismatun went to work on the farm she remained hungry for a long period. Shailkumari suggested she take some wheat flour laddoos with her so that she could have at least a couple of them now and then.

Then Shailkumari found that Kismatun was not having enough green leafy vegetables. Shailkumari suggested she pick some mustard leaves from her farm and have them regularly. It was also the season of radish, whose leaves Kismatun liked very much. Shailkumari encouraged her to have that also. She then took Kismatun for her three antenatal check-ups during the third, fifth and eighth month.

When the baby was born, Kismatun did not wait for three days. As soon as the midwife cut the umbilical cord, cleaned the child and gave it to the mother, she gave her newborn breast milk; it was difficult in the beginning, but only for a little while.

Kismatun's neighbor, Shehzadi, was also sitting there when Kismatun was recounting her learning process. She said: "I too gave my child breast milk soon after it was born. It makes a lot of difference if you start breastfeeding immediately; there is more milk and the child is satisfied." Both Shehzadi and Kismatun said, in their experience, the child also suffers much less from diarrhoea, fever and boils.

To this Kismatun's mother-in-law nodded in assent. Earlier she had advised her daughter-in-law to wait for three days before breastfeeding, now she herself advocates immediate breastfeeding to everybody. As she said, "Shailkumari has changed the custom in our village."