60% of newborns in India are still not breastfed in the first hour

India ranked 56 out of 76 countries on early initiation of breastfeeding, according to the 2018 Global Breastfeeding Scorecard

While there has been an improvement in the number of babies getting breastfed in the first hour of life in India–reflected in a rise from 23.1% in 2005 to 41.5% in 2015–the majority of Indian babies still miss out and could face life-threatening consequences, a new global report said.

Early initiation of breastfeeding is crucial for a baby’s survival as colostrum, the first milk, is extremely rich in nutrients and antibodies that protect the baby against infection.

While four children out of 10 are breastfed within the first hour in India, nearly nine in 10 are