Rebecca Kits Jakhalu
Kohima | March 21
In Nagaland, two women are working tirelessly to ensure that new mothers receive the support they need during one of the most critical phases of their lives. Lactation professionals, Dr Seyievono Savi (Avono) and her sister, Vitonu Savi (Atu), have emerged as trusted figures for mothers, offering guidance, compassion, and evidence-based care to families navigating early motherhood.
A lactation professional is one who is trained to help mothers and babies with breastfeeding. Support can range from getting started to solving common or complex feeding problems.
New mothers find their hug
When they started their services in 2024 through Hugs n Snugs, the goal was simply to educate and help women in the community, who, like them, needed support.
“Hugs n Snugs was established with an aim to build a supporting community for mothers and babies, and families,” Avono shares. A mother of two young boys, her journey into lactation support began through personal experience. Like many mothers, she encountered challenges while breastfeeding her own child. On sharing her story with her friends and family, Avono realised that the struggles were not isolated to her. Many women were navigating motherhood with struggles that were compounded by a lack of accessible, reliable information. Determined to address this issue, Avono and Atu pursued formal training in lactation counselling. Today, they are one of the few certified professionals in Nagaland focusing on maternal and infant feeding support.
Dr Seyievono Savi has a PhD (Management), and is a certified Breastfeeding & IYCF Counsellor who is also certified in Baby and Postnatal massage. Vitonu Savi is a registered nurse with a B.Sc. in Nursing. She has also completed a course in Infant Massage and Postpartum Massage.
“We provide hands-on support for breastfeeding mothers, and we also offer baby massage, pregnancy and postnatal massage, and conduct workshops on labour management and breastfeeding techniques,” Avono shares in an exclusive interview with The Morung Express.
They provide antenatal education and postnatal consultation and volunteer at the Naga Hospital Authority, Kohima (NHAK), helping mothers who have just delivered. They also impart knowledge to the family members and debunk myths and misconceptions related to breastfeeding.
In just two years, Hugs n Snugs has expanded steadily, establishing centres in Kohima and Chümoukedima. “At present, it is run by me and my sister, who is based in Chümoukedima. We also receive immense support from our family and a small team at our centres,” Avono says.
Operating out of Kohima, Avono divides her time between running her support center, private consultations, and volunteer work at NHAK. At the hospital, they give hands-on support to new mothers breastfeeding their babies in the post-natal ward. “However, as lactation professionals, we do not diagnose or prescribe medication. If we notice issues that require medical intervention, we refer them to the doctors,” Seyievono clarifies.
“While breastfeeding is natural, it is not always easy,” she explains. “Many women assume it will come easily, and when it doesn’t, they feel discouraged or even guilty. Our role is to reassure them and help them deal with the challenges,” she adds.
“Supporting mothers with the right knowledge and guidance can make a big difference in a baby’s feeding journey. And it not just about feeding the baby, it is also about empowering the mother. It is so rewarding seeing a mother leave the hospital feeling confident and supported,” says Avono.
“I have had the incredible privilege of supporting countless mothers on their breastfeeding journey. It has been rewarding, and I am grateful for the trust they have placed in me. Every mom has different issues and personally, I not only help them but I also learn from the mothers I have worked with,” shares Atu. “Seeing a mom gain confidence in nurturing their baby brings me immense joy. I am committed to providing compassionate evidence-based care,” she adds.
Filling the awareness void
According to the National Family Health Survey (2019–21), while 57.9% of newborns in Nagaland are breastfed within the first hour, only about 43% are exclusively breastfed for the first six months.
The Hugs n Snugs initiative seeks to address such gaps in awareness and guidance.
Beyond the hospital and one-on-one visits, Hugs n Snugs also conducts workshops on labour management and breastfeeding. These sessions bring together expectant mothers and new parents.
Topics covered in these workshops range from breastfeeding techniques and nutrition to mental health and postpartum recovery. The antenatal workshops address concerns with evidence-based knowledge and practical guidance. “Labor management classes can be super helpful in preparing expecting mothers and partners for the birthing process,” Avono shares. “Because informed parents feel stronger, calmer, and more prepared for birth,” she adds.
Emphasizing the need for education, she also adds, “It is only through education that we can empower mothers, especially when they are pregnant. Because once they deliver, they are already tired, exhausted, and many are not in the condition to listen and learn.”
In Dimapur, Chümoukedima, and Niuland, Atu, a mother of four, runs the Hugs n Snugs operations, providing similar services.
Attendance at these workshops has steadily grown, reflecting both the demand for such knowledge and the trust Hugs n Snugs has built over time. Participants describe the sessions as interactive and empowering.
Achung, a young mother who attended a recent workshop recalls, “In this generation, with so much information around us, it is always good to have proper guidance with professional help. So, for me, choosing Hugs n Snugs was one of the best choices I made for my baby.”
“I thought breastfeeding would come naturally, but it was one of the hardest parts of my postpartum journey,” shares another mother. Acknowledging Hugs n Snugs for their support and encouragement, she adds, “I learned to take it slow, focus on my mental health and cherish every moment.”
“I would encourage all expecting mothers to attend these workshops, and get professional help to make motherhood easier,” shares one of the mothers who attended one of the workshops organised by Hugs n Snugs.
“I'm so glad that services like this are now available at our doorstep, in our society where stigmatisation is so high that even to ask for help or enquire about breastfeeding, we are being judged. But thank goodness for Atu and Avono for making this possible for women like me who felt helpless when I'm faced with many doubts,” a mother writes.
Mention may be made that these workshops have also given birth to a WhatsApp community of over 200 mothers called ‘The Naga Breastfeeding Amma’ who share their daily struggles and tiny wins, real-time advice and offers a 24/7 support circle of moms who understand exactly what each one is going through.
Hopeful for more
Reflecting on the challenges over the years, Avono shares that their need for a space where clients could visit and avail support has been fulfilled, with centers opened in Kohima and Chümoukedima.
“We also want to conduct breastfeeding education classes even in other districts, but it will require a lot of resources and there are logistic issues as well. But we are hopeful that we will be able to reach out to other districts one day,” she adds.
“We also do not have enough certified manpower, due to which we are able to attend to only one client a day,” she shares.
For now, the lactation professionals leverage social media to expand their reach. They are active on their official Instagram account @hugs.n.snugs, sharing tips, answering queries, and addressing common myths. In places where they are unable to physically assist and support mothers, their online presence and counselling have become a vital resource for many families. Online breastfeeding consultations have been conducted for mothers from far-flung areas like Phek, Tuensang, and Mon. They have also provided online consultation to clients in Manipur, Assam, Mizoram, Shillong and Arunachal Pradesh.
After a pregnancy and breastfeeding education class on March 21 in Kohima, Hugs n Snugs is set to conduct another workshop on newborn care and baby massage on March 28.
The name ‘Hugs n Snugs’, Avono explains, was chosen to reflect the intimate bond between a mother and her baby. True to its meaning, the initiative is not only helping nurture healthier babies, but also empowering mothers to be more informed and confident.
