She found solace and support on an Irish breastfeeding group on Facebook. As she couldn’t find one in India, she started ‘Breastfeeding Support For Indian Mothers’ (BSIM) in 2013, which has grown into one of the largest communities online with almost 1.5 lakh members.
“I felt lonely and had no one to talk to about the challenges I was facing. I found that many of my friends and colleagues had similar queries as well. Fact is, no one talks about how difficult the journey of breastfeeding and motherhood is. I started this group for mothers to unite and get answers,” Adhunika shares.
The community, through webinars, one-on-one consultation and experts such as lactation counsellors and educators, offers tips and accurate information on lactation, how to wean off formula (if needed), along with answering all the frequently asked questions and more.
Besides the experts, other mothers too weigh in and share tips through their own experiences.
With a dedicated team of over 40 peer counsellors, BSIM today has a network of moderators and admins who provide support to parents in need round-the-clock. It was named one of the top five Facebook groups in the world in 2018, thanks to its reach.
BSIM also has a crowd-sourced list of breastfeeding-friendly paediatricians across India that could help prospective mothers or their family members for further consultations.
Here are her top tips for new moms:
“Take matters into your own hands and try to read up about lactation during pregnancy itself.”
“Join groups and build a strong network. Speak to lactation counsellors to find solutions.”
“Keep your support system close and remember that you have a community of mothers to help you and guide you on your journey.”