A mother of two, saves thousands of premature and critically ill newborns by donating 300.17 liters of breast milk in 22 months.
Trichy: Selva Brinda, a 33-year-old housewife from Kattur in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchirappalli district, has set a national precedent with her selfless and kind deed.
Brinda, a mother of two, gave birth to thousands of premature and critically ill newborns by donating an incredible 300.17 liters of breast milk in 22 months. She is listed in both the India Book of Records and the Asia Book of Records for her selfless devotion.
Her journey began in April 2023, when her newborn daughter was admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). There, she witnessed firsthand the critical need for donor milk for premature babies. As her milk production exceeded her daughter’s needs, she decided to donate the surplus to help other infants in need.
“It wasn’t easy, but I didn’t give up”
“In the beginning, it was tough. I lost weight, and people looked at me with suspicion. But when I learned that pumping milk burns calories and isn’t harmful to health, I didn’t stop. Gradually, I became emotionally connected to the cause,” said Brinda.
Brinda donated almost half of the total breast milk collected by the milk bank at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, Tiruchirappalli, during 2023-24. A newborn typically needs 20–40 ml of milk per feed, 10–12 times a day, making her contribution potentially life-saving for thousands of babies.
Medical community honours her dedication
Dr. S. Padmapriya, pediatrician and in-charge of the hospital’s milk bank, praised Brinda’s extraordinary commitment. “She has set an exceptional example,” Dr. Padmapriya said, adding that Brinda will be honoured on August 7 during the concluding ceremony of World Breastfeeding Week.
रक्षा जैन: अपना 160 लीटर ब्रेस्ट मिल्क दान कर 5000 नवजातों को जीवनदान देने वाली माँ
Need to Break Silence and Social Taboo
Brinda received the unwavering support of her family throughout this journey. “A baby in need can receive vital nutrients with even a modest donation. “Just thinking about it is enough to motivate action,” she remarked. Brinda also urged people to break the silence and social taboo surrounding breast milk donation. “Once people understand that it’s about saving lives, the hesitation disappears,” she added.
About Amritam Foundation
The Amritam Foundation played a crucial role in Brinda’s journey. The NGO, based in Tamil Nadu, works to collect, screen, pasteurise, and distribute donor breast milk to hospitals, particularly neonatal care units.
Their partnership with Brinda ensured that her milk was safely delivered to babies in need. The foundation helps women who want to give by providing organized procedures that make giving safe and effective.
Brinda’s story is not just one of motherhood but also of empathy, resilience, and social awareness — a message that deserves to be heard far and wide.