Community baby shower conducted in Nagercoil for 300 expectant mothers

Community baby shower emphasizes importance of nutrition for expectant mothers, promoting healthy pregnancies and babies.

Community baby shower was conducted for 300 expectant mothers here on Friday.

Presiding over the function, Minister for Social Welfare P. Geetha Jeevan said the pregnant women should take nutritious food even though they might not like some of the food items in their diet plan given by the doctors. Since the nutritious food being taken by the mothers would ensure the health of the baby, the mothers should take the food prescribed by the doctors without fail.

“Pregnant women should take milk, egg, millets, fruits, vegetables etc. in the right quantity prescribed by the doctors so that the delivery would be an easy affair for the mothers and the newborn baby would weigh at least 3 kg,” Ms. Geetha said.

The Minister also appealed to the expectant mothers to breastfeed their babies up to six months as mothers’ milk alone would give the much-needed immunity. After six months, the babies should be given food prescribed by the doctors. Since, anganvadi workers have been trained in providing the right diet plan to the pregnant women, they should make use of this facility in their places. Moreover, the expectant mothers should feed their babies with the nutritious flour being given under the Integrated Child Development Scheme.

Ms. Geetha also advised the pregnant women to closely monitor their children to find if the babies had any deformity or intellectual problems. “If we can identify such physically or intellectually challenged children before 2 years, they can be given the right treatment so that they can lead normal life like other children,” she said.

Secretary, Department of Social Welfare, Jayashree Muralidharan, Commissioner, Social Welfare, R. Lily, District Collector R. Alagumeena and Mayor of Nagercoil Corporation R. Magesh were present.