01-08-2025
India's institutional deliveries go up, but early breastfeeding in the first hour still low: Report
She said India needs to seriously implement the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative/Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, as recommended by the WHO and UNICEF, which have recommended that children initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life – meaning no other foods or liquids are provided, including water - and continue to breastfeed for another two years.
The report, which assessed and monitored India on 10 indicators of policy and programmes and five practices of breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding, found that the second indicator Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative/Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding has seen only a marginal increase from zero out of ten in 2018 to 1.5 out of ten in 2024-25.
Titled 'Spotlight on Breastfeeding and Infant and Young Child Feeding in India', the report said that India's MAA ((Mothers' Absolute Affection) programme, launched in 2016, is the strength and has the potential to implement all the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding.
'The country has a certification system National Quality Assurance Standards (NQAS) and a training programme for the staff. However, NQAS and hospital staff training do not address all the Ten Steps to successful breastfeeding. There is weakness in overall coordination, process of external assessment/award system and monitoring and implementation of the IMS Act,' the report said.
