EBB 402 - Cultural Aspects of Lactation and Infant Feeding in India with Yogyata Wadhwa, IBCLC and Young Child Feeding Specialist

The ways we feed and care for babies are shaped not only by research, but also by family traditions, cultural values, and generations of shared wisdom. In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Dekker talks with Yogyata Wadhwa, an IBCLC, childbirth educator, birth doula, sleep consultant, and infant feeding specialist based in India. Drawing on her experience supporting more than 10,000 families, Yogyata shares how parents can honor cultural traditions while making informed decisions about breastfeeding, introducing solids, and navigating the postpartum period. They explore common breastfeeding challenges, cultural beliefs surrounding infant feeding, and how parents can balance evidence-based recommendations with meaningful family customs. Yogyata also shares postpartum traditions in India, including the Jappa period, family caregiving practices, and the cultural significance of introducing a baby's first foods. (00:00) Introduction and overview of cultural perspectives on breastfeeding and infant feeding in India (05:34) How Yogyata became a childbirth educator, IBCLC, doula, and infant feeding specialist (08:38) Common breastfeeding challenges: milk supply concerns, latch difficulties, and tongue ties (10:24) Cultural beliefs that influence breastfeeding (16:18) Traditional infant feeding practices in India and the Annaprasan ceremony (21:32) First foods for babies and introducing solids (23:45) What baby-led feeding looks like (28:04) Signs that a baby is ready to start solids (33:41) Maternity leave, workplace accommodations, and postpartum support systems in India (36:20) The Jappa period and postpartum recovery practices (39:09) Balancing evidence-based recommendations with cultural expectations (43:43) Advice for Indian families living abroad and navigating feeding without traditional support systems (47:04) Yogyata's final advice for first-time parents Resources Connect with Yogyata on Instagram: @thebirth.life Learn more about The Birth Life: thebirthlife.com/ For more information about Evidence Based Birth and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.