This Visakhapatnam-based startup is helping women in their breastfeeding journey

For Gayathri Kanumuri, everything seemed fine while she was in the hospital after delivering her baby in 2020. However, breastfeeding after returning home turned out to be challenging.

Kanumuri recalls that her baby struggled to properly latch, which sometimes led to painful, bleeding nipples. Adding to her frustration, the baby's feeding times varied— ranging from 20 minutes to as long as 45 minutes, leaving her confused.

Things became even more concerning when her baby would ask for milk 15 minutes after finishing a feed.

“It felt like I was starving my own child,” Kanumuri continues, “You start doubting yourself, thinking you're not producing enough milk, which can shatter your confidence. New mothers are under immense pressure.”

Her experiences resonated with many new mothers. The lack of a proper support system for breastfeeding mothers in India led Kanumuri to launch Nari Care.

Kanumuri, who had been working as a software developer in Los Angeles, returned to India after giving birth in 2021. After her own breastfeeding experience, she started helping other mothers in her circle by guiding them.

“But in no time I realised that it was not enough for me to reach out to women in my circle. I wanted to help more women, creating a larger impact,” she adds.

This realisation set the cornerstone for Nari Care. Started in 2022, the Visakhapatnam-based startup offers one-on-one consultations with certified lactation consultants, knowledge about breastfeeding and a community of moms.

The startup has been incubated at NSRCEL (Nadathur S Raghavan Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning), IIM Bangalore, as part of its Women Startup Programme.

“I just wanted to help as many mothers as possible so that they don’t face what I went through during my postpartum period,” she tells HerStory.

Breastfeeding challenges

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mothers should exclusively breastfeed the baby for the first six months of their life. After that breastfeeding should be continued while also introducing complementary foods until the child is at least two years old, or longer.

She believes that most mothers assume breastfeeding will happen naturally without the need for preparation. However, many mothers face issues like low milk supply or latching problems. Lactation consultants are trained and certified experts who provide the assistance needed to address these concerns.

However, Kanumuri reflects that there are not many qualified lactation consultants. As per the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, India has 204 experts.

She points out that many women are unaware that there are experts for breastfeeding issues.

On that note, she recalls that initially when she started facing problems with breastfeeding, she too visited a paediatrician, who prescribed formula as a substitute. While she believes that formula is the closest alternative in terms of nutrients, she shares that breast milk contains various bioactive compounds that formula lacks. Though the formulas provide some relief, Kanumuri wanted to breastfeed.

It was then that she booked an appointment with a lactation consultant, who showed her how to track her milk supply, properly latch the baby, and handle feeding issues.

“The lactation consultant corrected my mistakes in holding and positioning the baby for a proper latch, ensuring efficient milk transfer. She also addressed my concerns about low milk supply, explained how to improve it, and how to track if my baby is getting enough milk,” she explains.

She notes that many of her friends also faced similar challenges because of a lack of proper information.

“Being part of support groups also helped, as I realised many new mothers face similar problems. It made my baby’s behaviour feel more normal,” she shares.

However, she believes that during this time most women get a lot of advice from their mothers, aunts and other relatives which may or may not be evidence-based.

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Providing breastfeeding support

Tejasree Yelamanchi who is currently enrolled in the programme shares that she faced challenges with her firstborn. She wanted to exclusively breastfeed my child but could only do it for three months.

“I didn’t have support, didn’t know whom to talk to and I finally gave up thinking my supply was low. When I got pregnant the second time I was looking for help and trying to find a reliable source to help me. I'm so glad I found Gayatri and Nari Care. She made me believe in myself and taught me to trust my body. She provided me with the confidence and support I needed,” she adds.

Yelamanchi was taught breastfeeding techniques, stress management and emotional support.

“I took the breastfeeding course during my last trimester, and it was incredibly informative. It helped me feel well-prepared even before my baby arrived. I knew what to expect and what could potentially go wrong. Despite all the information, as a new mom, it’s easy to feel stressed and anxious—but having my lactation consultant just a text away made it so much easier to troubleshoot any issues,” she adds.

The startup offers a one-month plan where mothers get a one-on-one consultation with a lactation consultant, a two-hour breastfeeding course, and one month of text support through a WhatsApp breastfeeding support group.

This allows them to ask questions directly to the expert while also forming a supportive community where they can learn from each other’s experiences. It has five certified lactation consultants from India. She explains that these experts track each other’s progress through check-ins.

Nari Care also has three and six-month plans, priced at Rs 4,500 and Rs 10,000, respectively. Both plans offer the same services for the duration, but the six-month plan also includes one-to-one follow-up text and call support with a nutritionist and a workshop on introducing solids to the baby.

The startup also offers three more extensive programmes that include the same services, with added benefits such as additional follow-ups, nutrition support, postnatal yoga classes, pediatric nutritional consultations, one-on-one newborn sleep consultations, and postpartum mental wellness consultations. The cost for these programmes ranges from Rs 7500 to Rs 39,500.

So far, Nari Care has reached out to about 400 women across India.

The startup has partnered with brands like Spectra, Medela, Dr. Brown’s, and Comotomo to offer breastfeeding products like pumps and sterilisers to its clients. Additionally, it raises awareness about breastfeeding through their social media platforms.

“When it comes to breastfeeding, the first few weeks are the hardest. But with time mothers get a hang of it. Hence as a company, we will look at expanding to aspects other than breastfeeding in the future. However, currently, our focus is to help mothers facing breastfeeding problems,” Kanumuri says.