The Shaheed Baba Deep Singh Department of Home Science, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Swami Vivekanand Subharti University, successfully conducted a symposium on the theme “The Role of Families in Successful Breastfeeding” on Tuesday. The event was organized in hybrid mode, bringing together academicians, research scholars, and students from across the country.
The symposium was inaugurated by Prof. (Dr.) Jyoti Gaur, Head of the Department, who emphasized the importance of collective family support in promoting breastfeeding practices. Dr. Shalu Nehra, Convener of the symposium, welcomed the participants and set the tone for the day.
Prof. (Dr.) Meenakshi Mathur from Jai Narayan Vyas University, Jodhpur, delivered the keynote address on “Breastfeeding and Breastmilk Banks: Promoting Infant Health and Nutrition,” stressing the need for awareness and infrastructure to support new mothers.
The event featured insightful guest talks by experts including Dr. Kavita Sharma, Dr. Parul Tripathi, Dr. Kiran Gupta, Dr. Pooja Gupta, and Dr. Kuhoo Gaur, who addressed varied dimensions of breastfeeding such as mental health, complications, public perceptions, and skeletal development in infants.
In the technical sessions, faculty members, research scholars, and students presented research papers on topics including cultural barriers, shared parenting, emotional well-being of mothers, and the role of extended families and community workers.
The symposium concluded with an open forum and vote of thanks by Dr. Nishma Singh, Associate Professor. The symposium was anchored by Ms. Naina, a student of M.Sc. Food and Nutrition, who served as the Master of Ceremony. The event successfully highlighted the vital role of families in supporting breastfeeding, calling for increased awareness, inclusive policies, and culturally sensitive practices.
