>> The golden hour: Dr Zinal Unadkat Shah, a paediatrician and  lactation expert, shares, “Many people believe that mothers shouldn’t breastfeed their newborns immediately, especially in the case of a caesarean infection. However, the initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour — also called the golden hour — is vital. This helps the baby latch on easily, as it is very active and alert during the first hour after birth. Also, the baby is hungry during this time. What we feed it at the beginning is what it desires more.” She adds that, unfortunately, this doesn’t happen in most hospitals, citing reasons such as the recovery time taken by mothers after a C-section delivery.

>> Demand equals supply: Mothers often switch to formula milk powder wrongly believing that they lack enough milk for the child. Another mistake mothers make is not breastfeeding the baby often. The milk supply is directly proportional to the baby’s demand, Shah explains. “The more you put the baby to the breast, the more the baby will desire it. This will also help in increasing the supply of milk,” she says.