While exclusive breastfeeding rates have steadily improved worldwide over the past decade, India has witnessed a concerning decline, according to the latest government data. The contrasting trends come as the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF urge countries to strengthen support systems for breastfeeding mothers ahead of World Breastfeeding Week (August 1–7).
Global Exclusive Breastfeeding Shows Steady Progress
According to WHO and UNICEF, the global rate of exclusive breastfeeding during the first six months of life has increased from around 37% in 2012 to more than 47% today.
The agencies attribute this progress to sustained investments in:
Stronger healthcare systems
Community-based breastfeeding counselling
Improved maternity protection policies
Greater awareness and support for new mothers
India’s Exclusive Breastfeeding Rate Declines
In contrast to the global trend, India’s exclusive breastfeeding rate has declined significantly. Data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) show that the proportion of infants exclusively breastfed for the first six months dropped from 63.7% in NFHS-5 (2019–21) to 55.8% in NFHS-6 (2023–24). The decline has raised concerns among public health experts, as exclusive breastfeeding is widely recognised for improving infant nutrition, strengthening immunity and reducing the risk of infections during early childhood.
Government Identifies Reasons for Decline
Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, the Union Health Ministry attributed the decline to a combination of social, cultural and behavioural factors.
According to the ministry, the key reasons include:
Socio-cultural practices and family customs
Individual feeding preferences
Use of pre-lacteal feeds
Increased reliance on infant milk substitutes
Inadequate breastfeeding frequency
These factors continue to affect the adoption of exclusive breastfeeding despite ongoing awareness programmes.
Early Breastfeeding Indicators Show Improvement
Although exclusive breastfeeding has declined, the ministry highlighted encouraging progress in several other maternal and child health indicators. The proportion of newborns who were breastfed within one hour of birth increased from 41.8% to 50.1%. Similarly, the percentage of infants aged below six months receiving any breast milk rose marginally from 95.1% to 95.6%. These improvements indicate better early breastfeeding practices, even as maintaining exclusive breastfeeding for six months remains a challenge.
Government Continues Breastfeeding Promotion Efforts
The Rajya Sabha query also sought information on whether the government had assessed the impact of:
Rising Caesarean section deliveries
Inadequate postnatal lactation counselling
Early return to work, particularly among women in the informal sector
The Health Ministry did not provide findings from any specific assessment. However, it outlined several initiatives being implemented under the National Health Mission (NHM) to promote breastfeeding.
These include:
Mother’s Absolute Affection (MAA) Programme
Lactation Management Centres
Training of healthcare workers
Counselling through the Poshan Tracker
Community awareness and behaviour change campaigns
Strengthening Support for Breastfeeding Mothers
WHO and UNICEF emphasise that improving breastfeeding rates requires more than awareness campaigns. They stress the need for stronger maternity protection, skilled lactation support, family counselling and workplace policies that enable mothers to continue breastfeeding after childbirth. As reported by currentindia.com, as India works to improve maternal and child health outcomes, strengthening these support systems will be essential to reverse the recent decline in exclusive breastfeeding rates and align with global public health goals.