2 months ago

Government addresses decline in exclusive breastfeeding rates

Government addresses decline in exclusive breastfeeding rates
Centre links drop in exclusive breastfeeding to family practices, infant formula use - Telegraph India · telegraphindia.com

The government has noticed that fewer mothers are exclusively breastfeeding their babies for the first six months.

This is happening because of different social and cultural reasons, like using baby formula and family practices.

The government is trying to fix this by teaching mothers about breastfeeding and setting up special centers to help.

They have also started programmes to train healthcare workers and spread awareness in communities.

A recent study showed that these efforts are helping new mothers learn about breastfeeding.

Key facts

Early Initiation of Breastfeeding
50.1% in NFHS-6 (2023-24) from 41.8% in NFHS-5
Exclusive Breastfeeding Rate
55.8% in NFHS-6 (2023-24) from 63.7% in NFHS-5
Programmes Promoting Breastfeeding
Mother Absolute Affection (MAA), Poshan Tracker, Poshan Maah, Poshan Pakhwada
Training Programmes
Daksh, Dakshta, Skilled Birth Attendant (SBA), Nurse Practitioner Midwifery
Evaluation by DMEO
September 2025 evaluation found new mothers receiving information on exclusive breastfeeding

Sources

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