2 months ago
Government addresses decline in exclusive breastfeeding rates
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.
Exclusive breastfeeding rates declined from 63.7% in NFHS-5 to 55.8% in NFHS-6.
Early initiation of breastfeeding improved from 41.8% in NFHS-5 to 50.1% in NFHS-6.
The government has launched the Mother Absolute Affection (MAA) programme to promote breastfeeding.
Comprehensive Lactation Management Centres and Lactation Management Units have been established to support breastfeeding.
Healthcare personnel are trained under programmes like Daksh, Dakshta, and Nurse Practitioner Midwifery to promote breastfeeding.
- Who
- Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel
- What
- Decline in exclusive breastfeeding rates and government initiatives to promote it
- Where
- India
- When
- National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-6 (2023-24)
- Why
- To address the decline in exclusive breastfeeding rates and promote optimal infant and young child feeding practices
Government Initiatives
Socio-Cultural Factors
Promotion of Exclusive Breastfeeding
Government Initiatives
The government has integrated several interventions under the National Health Mission (NHM) to promote exclusive breastfeeding, including the Mother Absolute Affection (MAA) programme and the establishment of Comprehensive Lactation Management Centres.
Socio-Cultural Factors
Exclusive breastfeeding is influenced by multiple socio-cultural factors, including individual preferences, use of pre-lacteal feeds and infant milk substitutes, family practices, and breastfeeding frequency.
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









