Former Indian badminton star Jwala Gutta is making headlines, and this time it's for a truly amazing reason. She has donated around 60 litres of breast milk, and everyone's talking about it. Here's the full story behind her incredible gesture.
Breast milk is a newborn's primary source of nutrition. It's packed with everything a baby needs to grow—fats, carbs, minerals, and proteins. This makes it the perfect food for their development.
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The need for breast milk for newborns
But not all babies get their mother's milk, especially if they are in the NICU. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is a special ward in hospitals. It takes care of premature babies, those who are very sick, or have low birth weight.
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Jwala shared this information on her X account
Jwala Gutta took to social media to explain her decision. She donated a massive 60 litres of breast milk in the first year after her delivery. She wanted to share her reasons to raise awareness.
Jwala explained the impact of her donation. "I donated about 60 litres of breast milk to government hospitals in Chennai and Hyderabad," she wrote. She added, "Just 100 ml of breast milk can feed a one-kg newborn for a few days. This donation will help dozens of babies in the NICU."
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Breast milk donation is safe
Jwala also stressed that donating breast milk is completely safe and properly screened. She said it acts as a bridge for mothers who might have delayed lactation. This can happen due to stress, illness, poor nutrition, or a premature birth.
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The importance of breast milk donation
Jwala also shared a critical medical fact. "It is clinically proven that donor human milk significantly reduces the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis," she explained. This is a life-threatening intestinal condition that can affect premature babies.