UP: Kangaroo Mother Care bank set up at Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital

Kanpur: The Department of Pediatrics at Kanpur's Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital has set up a Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) where lactating mothers can donate their breastmilk for infants who have no access to breastmilk. 

"We are going to open a Lactation Management Unit here which is also called a Breakmilk Management Bank. Here mothers can donate their milk, they do not need to dry them up. Just like we donate blood or organs, milk donation will be started in the same process.

Speaking about the usual process which takes place when a mother loses her child after birth, Yashwant Rao said, "Usually those mothers whose children expire, get their breastmilk dried up by medication. However, the Union government has made an arrangement to store mother's milk."

The doctor said that a Lactation Management Unit will be opened at Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital which will also be called a Breakmilk Management Bank.

Speaking about the process, Yashwant Rao said, "Just like we donate blood or organs, milk donation will be started in the same process. This will be a revolution for Kanpur."

Arun Arya, the Chairman of Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital Department of Pediatrics said that this facility will help in fulfilling the goal of ensuring that every last child in the country is fed breast milk.

"We have the goal to provide mother's milk to every child. This will help us to fulfil this goal," Arun Arya said.

Speaking about the significance of the unique name 'Kangaroo' for this facility, Arun Arya explained, "Kangaroos protect their babies in their pouch. If an infant has a low birth rate, the child has to be in contact with the mother's breast constantly to maintain adequate temperature. This facility will ensure the same."

"It also helps in breastfeeding and weight gain as well...," the doctor added.

Speaking on the timeframe for the launch of this facility, Arun Arya said, "We are going to start in three beds now and soon a KMC ward will be started. It will take around two months."

"Earlier we used to wait till the child was stable. Now we will start KMC just after birth," he added.