Exclusive breastfeeding drops in India: What mothers reveal

Whereas motherhood is extraordinarily treasured and rewarding, breastfeeding does take loads from girls. From low milk provide and painful latching to cracked nipples and the emotional strain to proceed, breastfeeding will be probably the most demanding facets of early motherhood. Whereas India has made progress in selling breastfeeding, EBF charges amongst infants underneath six months have declined, elevating vital questions in regards to the challenges moms face and the help they want.

Based on the Nationwide Household Well being Survey (NFHS)-6 knowledge, institutional deliveries in India have elevated from 88.6 per cent in NFHS-5 to 90.6 per cent, whereas unique breastfeeding amongst infants underneath six months has declined from 63.7 per cent to 55.8 per cent, highlighting the necessity for stronger help techniques.

To raised perceive this actuality, we spoke to moms who shared their private experiences navigating the highs and lows of breastfeeding, in addition to specialists for his or her insights.

What’s unique breastfeeding (EBF)?

Breast milk offers supreme vitamin for infants and helps their immunity, progress, and improvement. As per suggestions from WHO and UNICEF, preliminary breastfeeding inside the first hour of delivery, unique breastfeeding for the primary six months, and continued breastfeeding together with complementary meals as much as two years or past matter.

Dr Pankhuri Gautam, Senior Marketing consultant–Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Cocoon Hospital, Jaipur, stated that the primary milk, generally known as colostrum, is particularly important as it’s wealthy in protecting elements that assist help early immunity.

Publish-delivery care from household issues loads (Photograph: Freepik)

Dr Sanju Sidaraddi, Marketing consultant Paediatrician and Neonatologist, Motherhood Hospitals, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, stated that unique breastfeeding offers antibodies and immune elements that assist infants battle infections, significantly diarrhoea, respiratory sicknesses, and different situations that ceaselessly have an effect on newborns. “Breast milk incorporates antibodies, enzymes, and useful microbes that assist help the event of a wholesome intestine microbiome and strengthen an toddler’s immune system,” stated Dr Sidaraddi.

“It additionally helps bonding between mom and child and helps long-term feeding success as nicely,” stated Dr Pankhuri.

When water, animal milk, toddler system (manufactured meals designed to substitute or complement human breast milk), or semi-solid meals are launched too early, infants might miss out on these protecting advantages, identified Dr Sidaraddi.

“They could additionally face a better threat of digestive issues and infections. In city areas, dad and mom are sometimes uncovered to a variety of feeding recommendation from social media, family members, and on-line boards, which might generally create confusion,” Dr Sidaraddi stated. “Many households might interpret regular toddler behaviours akin to frequent feeding, crying, or shorter sleep cycles as indicators that breast milk is inadequate, main them to introduce dietary supplements sooner than essential. Nevertheless, these behaviours are sometimes a part of regular toddler improvement and don’t mechanically point out starvation or poor vitamin,” the physician added.

Why is EBF declining?

Chandrayee Mukherjee, a 30-year-old, turned a mom via a C-section in November 2025, 36 days earlier than her due date. “Sure, I solely breastfed my daughter for the primary month after delivery. Since she was born untimely, guaranteeing that she acquired ample vitamin and gained weight appropriately was a significant concern for us. Whereas I used to be dedicated to breastfeeding, the bodily restoration from a C-section, coupled with the calls for of caring for a new child, made the journey fairly difficult,” she recollected.

After the primary month, Mukherjee regularly launched system feeding alongside breastfeeding. “It was not a straightforward transition as a result of my daughter initially rejected a number of system manufacturers. We needed to attempt totally different choices earlier than discovering one which suited her. Finally, she adjusted nicely, and combined feeding turned a sensible resolution for our household,” she shared.

Admitting that originally she felt the strain to solely breastfeed for so long as doable, Mukherjee stated that she ultimately realised that motherhood just isn’t about assembly a perfect commonplace; it’s about making selections that work for each the newborn and the mom. “Introducing system was not a compromise. It was a call that helped my daughter thrive and allowed me to get well higher and performance extra confidently as a mother or father,” she stated. As we speak, at almost seven months outdated, her daughter is wholesome, energetic, and rising nicely.

Whether or not a lady solely breastfeeds for weeks, months, or years, the journey is commonly marked by perseverance, sacrifice, and numerous unseen challenges.

Alka Yadav, 33, a world relationship supervisor with a number one financial institution, turned a mom in August 2025 after a “lengthy IVF journey”. “I launched system within the third month, together with breastfeeding,” Yadav talked about, blaming social media misinformation, issues about milk provide, and demanding existence as elements behind the decline in EBF, which makes it tougher to maintain. “I too breastfed initially however later switched to system fully,” she added.

Monisa Nadeem, a 35-year-old mom, believes that if girls must return to work after a six-month maternity depart, it’s not straightforward to keep up milk provide as a result of not everybody has a pumping room or the monetary means to have a pump. “Of their absence, kids get system feed, and over time, naturally, the milk provide drops if the kid just isn’t feeding,” she stated.

Mukherjee feels the decline is linked to the realities of contemporary motherhood moderately than a lack of expertise about the advantages of breastfeeding. “Many city girls are working professionals, usually residing in nuclear households with restricted help techniques. Recovering from childbirth, managing sleep deprivation, dealing with family tasks, and getting ready to return to work will be overwhelming,” she stated, including that generally there will be an “unrealistic expectation that moms ought to be capable of do all of it with out acknowledging the bodily and psychological toll it takes”.

Docs agree that the decline in EBF, particularly in city areas, is regarding as a result of breastfeeding just isn’t solely a dietary observe but in addition an vital basis for toddler immunity, progress and bonding.

Whereas some doable causes are rising workload, stress and sleep schedules, and strain on moms to return to work quickly after finishing their maternity depart, which might make it difficult to proceed EBF for six months, Dr Videesh Sombattina, advisor, neonatology, Manipal Hospital Dwarka, New Delhi, famous that many preterm infants require extended NICU care, which might result in diminished mother-baby interplay and bonding through the preliminary days and weeks after delivery, doubtlessly affecting breastfeeding practices.

Dr Bimalpreet Mohan, director and chief radiologist at Capital Well being Clinic and a girls’s well being skilled, additionally attributed the decline to a “bigger shift in maternal well being traits”. “Extra girls are conceiving later, managing high-risk pregnancies, or recovering from Caesarean deliveries, all of which might affect early breastfeeding experiences. Whereas fashionable drugs has considerably improved being pregnant outcomes via superior screening and imaging, postpartum care should obtain equal consideration,” Dr Mohan added.

One other main issue, in accordance with Dr Pankhuri, is the rising notion that system milk is extra handy or that breast milk is “not sufficient”, which frequently results in early supplementation. “From an obstetrics and gynaecology perspective, EBF wants stronger institutional and neighborhood help. Moms ought to obtain counselling throughout being pregnant itself, instant skin-to-skin contact after supply, assist with latching, and continued follow-up after discharge. We should cease treating breastfeeding as solely a mom’s duty; it requires household, office, and healthcare-system help,” asserted Dr Pankhuri.

The guilt issue

A mom wants reassurance as a lot as medical recommendation, specialists urge.

Muskan Rastogi, lactation advisor and physiotherapist, Motherhood Hospitals, Higher Noida, emphasised that moms want to grasp that breast milk alone is adequate for many wholesome infants through the first six months, even in scorching climate, and extra water is mostly not required.

“On the similar time, moms shouldn’t really feel responsible if breastfeeding turns into troublesome. Searching for well timed steering from a gynaecologist or lactation advisor may also help tackle issues associated to latching difficulties, perceived low milk provide, ache throughout feeding, or balancing breastfeeding with work commitments and in addition assist in even handed utilization of lactation instruments,” she added.

“Households ought to keep away from feedback which create guilt or panic. As an alternative, they need to assist the mom relaxation, eat nicely, keep hydrated and get well bodily and emotionally. Docs, nurses, lactation consultants and members of the family all play a significant position in making breastfeeding much less worrying and extra sustainable,” pressured Dr Pankhuri.

Wanting again, all these moms have discovered that every one’s journey is totally different, and there must be extra empathy and fewer judgment round feeding selections. “What issues most is that each mom and child are wholesome, supported, and doing nicely,” Mukherjee shared.

Dr Shobha Gupta, medical director, gynaecologist and IVF skilled at Mom’s Lap IVF Centre in Pitampura, New Delhi, additionally talked about that creating an enabling atmosphere via stronger lactation help, office insurance policies, and neighborhood consciousness may also help. “Breastfeeding isn’t just a mom’s duty—it requires collective help from households, employers, healthcare suppliers, and society at giant,” stated Dr Gupta.

Breastfeeding may be very useful, however it ought to by no means be used to disgrace or evaluate moms, Dr Pankhuri reiterated. “Some moms may have medical steering, combined feeding or various feeding plans as a result of well being issues. The priorities ought to at all times be the well-being of each mom and child. Breastfeeding isn’t just about strain, perfection or comparability. It’s about care, connection and help. When moms are guided with full compassion, they really feel extra assured, and that confidence turns into the muse of a more healthy begin for the kid,” the physician shared.

Sensible approach forward

Rastogi emphasised creating breastfeeding-friendly workplaces, enhancing consciousness, holding counselling periods, and strengthening help techniques at residence to assist moms.

Right here’s what medical doctors recommend (Photograph: Getty Photographs/Thinkstock)

Dr Shailaja Mane, MBBS, MD (Pediatrics), DPU Tremendous Specialty Hospital, Pimpri, Pune, famous that breastfeeding schooling should start throughout being pregnant via antenatal counselling and may actively contain fathers, grandparents, and caregivers. “Healthcare professionals ought to help moms with breastfeeding methods, positioning, and latching, particularly after caesarean deliveries. The significance of colostrum, usually referred to as “liquid gold,” must be emphasised, because it offers important immunity and safety to newborns,” stated Dr Mane.

Based on Dr Mane, hospitals should strictly adhere to the Toddler Milk Substitutes (IMS) Act and keep away from the routine promotion of feeding bottles, toddler system, or associated merchandise until medically indicated. “Sadly, many households obtain bottles or system suggestions unnecessarily, which might intrude with the institution of profitable breastfeeding practices,” she rued.

Dr Mane stated she believes that with collective efforts from households, healthcare suppliers, employers, policymakers, and the media, India can considerably enhance breastfeeding outcomes.