Vriksham Motives, Builds Confident & Courage In Women: Digital Creator Anupama Kumar Vijay Anand

She makes reels on pregnancy, motherhood-related content...

Times Magazine India shares the journey of one of the famous Instagram Content Creator Anupama Kumar Vijay Anand, who has a massive reach to a family of 810K followers. She has made numerous informative videos on Pregnancy, Pre-Pregnancy and Motherhood. Mrs. Anupama Kumar Vijay Anand has motivated and aspired many to lead a great pregnancy and motherhood experience.

While interviewing the content creator, we can understand the importance to empower women not only about their Pregnancy or Motherhood but to raise their voices against injustice and abuse...

Listing the various questions of the interview, we asked.

Define the vision of Vriksham.

The vision of Vriksham is to empower women for a positive and cherished journey to motherhood and improve access to a quality environment along with the development of a healthy, educated and empowered society by providing free childbirth education across government hospitals in Tamil Nadu. 

What inspired you to choose social media as the medium to spread knowledge about pregnancy and motherhood?

During my first pregnancy, I realised there is a gamut of information, misinformation and outdated practices in society regarding pregnancy and motherhood which tends to cause a lot of confusion and stress for the mother-to-be.

Over the years, the interactions with expectant mothers, I realised this is a common problem many faces. Having access to scientifically backed information about pregnancy and motherhood makes one’s journey to motherhood stress-free and enhances emotional well-being. 

Access to a mobile phone with an internet connection today, made social media one of the fastest and the best ways to disseminate pregnancy-related information and share my personal experiences to help expectant women have a safe and healthy pregnancy. 

Please share with us the journey of reaching the family of 810K followers on your Instagram handle.

It has been an exhilarating experience! Each post or reel I make is a reflection of me. Along with my hard work, perseverance and discipline, the love and support of my followers have been the driving force behind my journey.

Being an educator, what do you think is the most difficult situation during motherhood?

The most difficult situation during pregnancy and motherhood, I believe, is being bound by the opinions of family or well-wishers which are often steeped in myths and misconceptions. The societal pressure and judgmental people around make it very difficult for an expectant mother to voice her opinion and follow the correct practices. This situation often causes stress and anxiety to the expectant mother which is neither good for her nor the baby. 

Is breastfeeding important to an infant's health and development?

Yes, absolutely! Apart from being loaded with nutrients essential for the development of the infant through its initial years, breastmilk also contains antibodies that help protect the infant from contracting any common infections and illnesses. 

Research suggests breastfeeding mothers are at lower risk of ovarian and breast cancer. I’m 39 years old and have been breastfeeding for the past 2 years, and have also been a breast milk donor. 

What do you think being strict toward kids is important during their teenage? How can parents build a healthy relationship with them?

In the current scenario, parenting has changed by leaps and bounds. The strict and uncompromising approach used earlier is no longer advisable. To instil the right values in your child during their most vulnerable age, parents must build a friendly relationship with the child.

From my personal experience being non-judgmental, receptive and open towards the child, helps parents to build a healthy and well-rounded relationship of mutual respect, love and affection.

As a content creator, please cite ways to convince young women to raise their voices against sexual abuse.

Our hashtag, ‘voicethisout’ that we run on our Vriskham Instagram handle helps women share their trauma of sexual abuse and their recovery journey post the anguish. Through these posts, we aspire to motivate and build confidence and courage among other young women to raise their voices against any form of sexual abuse. 

What are the most common orthodox talks or regulations during periods? Are those for real or myths?

Most common regulations during periods are using a separate toilet, not sleeping on the bed, not entering the kitchen and washing your hair immediately after you get your period since it is considered impure. 

Let me tell you all of the above are myths and misconceptions! There is no scientific evidence to justify these regulations or data to prove one is impure during their menstrual cycle.

What is the best thing about being a content creator? 

The best part about being a content creator is having the ability to touch lives and spread ripples of goodness around the globe! It is a gratifying experience to help bring about a substantial positive change in the lives of my followers. The recognition one gets as a content creator is touching and encouraging.  

As Instagram is a hub of netizens, content creators get appreciation as well as critics. What are your reactions to the critics?

Critics have a huge role to play in the person I am today. I have always been open to constructive criticism and take genuine feedback positively. This not only helps enhance my learning curve but also allows me to understand the needs and concerns of my audience better. 

Is choosing 'IVF' (In vitro fertilisation) healthy for the baby and mother?

IVF is only recommended when there is no chance of the couple being able to conceive naturally. Given the advanced science and technology made, IVF can be considered a safe procedure for the mother, however, it also depends on other external factors such as the mother’s state of health. 

How do you respond to your followers regarding their queries and suggestions?

Given the large volume of comments and DMs, it is practically impossible to respond to every query on social media. However, I make it a point to respond to as many non-medical queries regarding pregnancy and motherhood as possible, through my DMs. 

Please share with us one memory you can never forget throughout your journey as a content creator.

Recently, when I was walking out of a hotel in Coimbatore, a man came up to me and thanked me and said he and his wife consider me as family. On enquiring further, I realised, that having no family support during their pregnancy the couple had diligently followed my posts on social media for pregnancy-related guidance and help. His wife was also a part of my pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and breastfeeding classes. 

It was extremely heart-warming to know they considered me a part of their family and treated me with the same respect and fondness as a family member would when we met accidentally. I was also delighted to know my posts have been helping fathers-to-be!

I request you to share some tips that a pregnant woman must follow.

3 golden tips an expecting mother should consider following are:

Remain active throughout your pregnancy, provided you have a low-risk pregnancy.

Consuming a well-balanced protein-rich diet is essential.

Pay equal attention to your emotional well-being.

TIMES MAGAZINE INDIA WISHES YOU GOOD LUCK!