R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, AUG 8
What happens when a mother wants to breastfeed, but the support around her is not strong enough? That question took centre stage at MGM Healthcare as more than 100 young mothers, healthcare experts and caregivers came together to mark World Breastfeeding Week, turning the annual observance into a larger conversation about how families, hospitals, workplaces and society can collectively make breastfeeding easier and more sustainable for mothers.
- World Breastfeeding Week at MGM Healthcare brings more than 100 young mothers together with paediatric, neonatal, obstetric and lactation experts
- Radhika Sarathkumar joins MGM Healthcare in turning breastfeeding awareness into a conversation on informed choices, confidence and support
- Dr Urjitha Rajagopalan stresses that breastfeeding success depends not merely on maternal intent but on the environment surrounding every mother
- Dr Chandra Kumar underscores exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months as a foundation for immunity, development and lifelong health
- Interactive expert session seeks to dispel breastfeeding myths and address concerns of lactating mothers
- Poster, rangoli, reels and well-baby competitions transform a week-long awareness campaign into an engaging community movement
Veteran actor and politician Radhika Sarathkumar, along with Dr Urjitha Rajagopalan, Managing Director, MGM Healthcare, presided over the programme in the presence of Dr Chandra Kumar, Senior Consultant & HOD, Paediatrics and Neonatology; Dr Deepa Easow, Senior Consultant, Paediatrics & Neonatology; and Dr Pilli Govardhan, Senior Consultant, Neonatology, MGM Healthcare.
The week-long initiative sought to move breastfeeding awareness beyond advice and into empowerment, myth-busting and practical support, bringing lactating mothers together with specialists from Paediatrics, Neonatology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and lactation care.
The question is not just ‘Will a mother breastfeed?’
World Breastfeeding Week is observed globally from August 1 to 7 to create awareness about the importance of breastfeeding for infants. The 2026 theme, ‘Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works,’ focuses on tracking progress, evaluating impact and scaling approaches that improve breastfeeding outcomes.
MGM Healthcare aligned its week-long programme with this emphasis by organising a series of educational and engaging activities, including poster, rangoli and reels competitions for lactating mothers, besides a well-baby contest centred on exclusive breastfeeding practices.
The activities were designed to make health education more participatory while encouraging mothers to engage openly with breastfeeding-related concerns.
‘Success depends on the environment’
Speaking at the event, Dr Urjitha Rajagopalan highlighted the need to look beyond the mother herself when discussing breastfeeding outcomes.
“Breastfeeding is a critical component of maternal and child health, but its success depends not only on a mother’s intent, but also on the environment in which she is supported.”
Drawing from her experience both as a doctor and a first-time mother, she stressed the value of having a strong support network.
“As a doctor and as a first-time mother, I have personally experienced the value of having a strong support system of family, caregivers and healthcare professionals.”
She called for a collective approach involving every part of the ecosystem around a mother.
“As healthcare leaders, we must recognise that enabling and sustaining breastfeeding requires a collective commitment from families, healthcare institutions, workplaces and society.”
Linking the initiative to this year’s theme, she added: “The theme for World Breastfeeding Week 2026, ‘Breastfeeding for a sustainable start in life: strengthen what works,’ reinforces the need to strengthen these support systems and ensure that every mother is empowered to make informed choices and receive the care and support she needs.”
First six months: a critical window
Dr Chandra Kumar emphasised the importance of exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of an infant’s life.
“Breastfeeding is the ideal source of nutrition for every newborn baby. It is vital to ensure exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months because it lays the foundation for lifelong health, stronger immunity, and optimal development.”
He called for sustained support and awareness to help mothers follow exclusive breastfeeding practices.
“On this World Breastfeeding Week, let us reaffirm our commitment to ensure every mother receives the maximum support, knowledge and encouragement she needs to provide exclusive breastfeeding to her infant.”
From myths to meaningful conversations
The week-long observance culminated in an interactive session with specialists from Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Neonatology and lactation care, giving mothers an opportunity to openly discuss concerns and separate evidence-based guidance from commonly held myths surrounding breastfeeding.
The initiative was aimed at educating and empowering young mothers on the significance of exclusive breastfeeding and its role in supporting optimal growth, immunity and overall infant health.
The Paediatrics and Neonatology and Obstetrics and Gynaecology departments actively participated in the programme under their ‘Varam’ initiative, reinforcing the importance of coordinated maternal and child healthcare.
A message for the whole support ecosystem
The MGM Healthcare initiative ultimately placed breastfeeding within a wider social context. The message was not simply that mothers need information, but that they need an environment in which informed decisions can actually be sustained.
Families can provide encouragement, healthcare professionals can provide reliable guidance, institutions can offer support, workplaces can create enabling conditions, and society can help remove stigma and misinformation.
For every mother, therefore, the breastfeeding journey may begin with a personal decision—but its success can depend on how strongly the world around her stands behind that decision.
