NEW DELHI: Even as exclusive breastfeeding rates have improved globally over the past decade, India continues to lag behind, with the proportion of infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months declining from 63.7% in NFHS-5 (2019-21) to 55.8% in NFHS-6 (2023-24).Ahead of World Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7), the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF called for stronger support systems for mothers, saying global exclusive breastfeeding has increased from about 37% in 2012 to over 47% today, driven by sustained investments in health systems, community counselling and maternity protection. However, the agencies said progress remains uneven and many countries continue to fall short of global targets.Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, the Union health ministry attributed the decline in India’s exclusive breastfeeding rate to multiple factors, including socio-cultural practices, family customs, individual preferences, the use of pre-lacteal feeds and infant milk substitutes, and breastfeeding frequency.The ministry, however, highlighted improvements in other breastfeeding indicators. Early initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth increased from 41.8% to 50.1%, while the proportion of infants below six months receiving any breast milk rose marginally from 95.1% to 95.6%.The Rajya Sabha question had sought to know whether the government had assessed the impact of rising Caesarean deliveries, inadequate postnatal lactation counselling and early return to work, particularly among women in the informal sector. While the ministry did not provide findings of any such assessment, it said the National Health Mission promotes exclusive breastfeeding through the Mother Absolute Affection (MAA) programme, lactation management centres, healthcare worker training, Poshan Tracker-based counselling and community awareness campaigns.
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It also cited a 2025 NITI Aayog evaluation, which found that new mothers were receiving information on exclusive breastfeeding during the postnatal period.Calling breastfeeding one of the most effective public health interventions, WHO and UNICEF said it provides essential nutrition, protects children against infections, strengthens immunity, supports cognitive development and lowers mothers’ risk of breast and ovarian cancers and type 2 diabetes. The agencies said scaling up proven interventions, including skilled breastfeeding support, community counselling, paid maternity leave, supportive workplace policies and stronger regulation of breast-milk substitute marketing, could prevent nearly 400,000 child deaths and 140,000 maternal deaths globally every year.
