The Makwana family, originally from Saurashtra, now resides in a rented house in Moraiya village, Sanand Block, Gujarat. Their experience of welcoming preterm twins in the seventh month of pregnancy was fraught with fear, particularly due to the loss of their first baby before birth. Upon the birth of the twins, concerns were amplified as both babies were born with low birth weights, with Raj (name changed) weighing 1.6 kg and Rahul (name changed) 1.4 kg. The twins were placed under doctors’ observation for 14 days following their birth.

Initial Registration and Early Support:

Community Mobilizer (CM) Nita Makwana registered the family in the maternal health program during the mother’s pregnancy. Nita made regular visits to provide essential counselling. Upon hearing about the twins’ birth, Nita immediately visited the family to offer support. She introduced Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) and cross-cradle feeding techniques to the family, guiding them through the process for both twins’ recovery.

KMC Intervention and Weight Tracking:

Nita provided the family with KMC bags and educated them on how to implement KMC, a technique involving skin-to-skin contact that is particularly beneficial for preterm and low-birth-weight babies. The family, including the grandparents, worked together to ensure that the twins were receiving regular KMC sessions. However, the family’s challenge was balancing KMC with their financial responsibilities, as both grandparents and the father were employed as daily labourers in the GIDC (Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation).

Challenges and Guidance

As time passed, Raj’s weight steadily increased, but Rahul’s weight showed only slight improvements, raising concerns. Recognizing the need for consistent care, Akshay Kamble, Assistant Manager for Training and Capacity Building at Action Against Hunger, provided telephonic counselling to the family, stressing the importance of regular KMC. This intervention led to further home visits from Nita and the Advocacy Officer, who provided on-site guidance.

Impact :

Over the course of four months, CM Nita Makwana ensured that the family received continuous guidance, monitoring the twins’ progress and maintaining KMC sessions. Despite the family’s demanding schedule, their commitment to the twins’ care led to a significant improvement in both babies’ health. The weight of the baby during KMC bag usage was recorded as 1.8 kg and 1.7 kg, respectively, and increased to 4.9 kg and 3.3 kg when the KMC bag was taken back.