Sonali Shivlani

Sonali Shivlani holds a degree in business management. She is an internationally certified childbirth and lactation educator (CAPPA), and a La Leche League Leader and is in charge of the suburbs group in Mumbai, where she also introduced a training program for those women who would like to become lactation counselors. Post certification, Ms. Shivlani put together a birth preparation program, which was suited to the urban Indian scenario. This unique course helps to prepare couples not only for the pregnancy and the birth but also for the months thereafter. She has been associated with BEAMS, a specialty hospital for women in Khar, Mumbai, since April 2004. In August 2005, she teamed up with the CLAY Institute for Wellness and Lifestyle Enhancement, which is based in Mumbai, and has a lactation counseling program for expectant women and moms. This program is the first out-of-hospital breastfeeding support group in India. She opened her private practice center in 2005, where she introduced the concept of the same program in a workshop format which was especially suited to the working woman. 2006 saw the introduction of the program at Sujay Hospital at Andheri W. Sonali is part of the expert panel for pregnancy and child care at INDIWO.com (CNBC TV 18).