New Delhi, Apr 29: For many young parents, the early years of raising a child are filled with as many questions as they are with joy.
From feeding patterns to developmental milestones, the journey often becomes overwhelming—especially in the absence of consistent guidance.
This concern came into sharp focus at the recent “India 0–3 Conclave” in the national capital, where doctors, psychologists and early childhood experts spoke about the urgent need for a structured support system for children in the 0–3 age group.
Despite increasing awareness, experts say parenting in India continues to be guided by a mix of fragmented advice, from family members to internet searches, often leaving parents confused rather than reassured.
“Parents are often confused about many aspects of a child’s growth, especially when it comes to feeding practices like breastfeeding,” said paediatrician Dr Ankur Chawla.
“A child needs to be fed properly. There is nothing like overfeeding in the early stages. What parents need is clarity and confidence, and a structured ecosystem can be of great help in this,” he added.
The first three years of a child’s life are widely regarded as the most critical phase for brain development. Yet, in India, support systems during this period remain largely informal.
According to psychologist Krishnaveni Kannan, one of the biggest gaps lies in the lack of structured guidance for parents themselves.
“Parent training has been missing for a very long time. We expect parents to just ‘figure it out’, but that’s not how it should be,” she said.
“They need an effective support system that can guide them in ensuring proper growth and emotional development of their children,” she added.
The conclave, which also saw the launch of the Nestology platform, brought together stakeholders from healthcare, education and parenting communities to discuss ways to bridge this gap.
For some, the need for structured support is not just theoretical but deeply personal.
Aesthetics Physician Dr Saru Singh, who has herself used Nestology while raising her son, described the difference it made in her parenting journey.
“As a doctor, I had medical knowledge, but parenting is much more than that. There are everyday decisions, doubts and emotional aspects involved,” she said.
“Having a platform that provides structured guidance and connects you with the right experts which makes a significant difference. It brings a sense of reassurance and clarity,” she added. Saru said founders of Nestology Ashay Gupta and Vartika are doing a great service for the children of India.
Speaking about the intent behind the platform, Ashay Gupta, Co-founder of Nestology, said the idea emerged from extensive research into the challenges faced by new-age parents.
“Through our interactions with parents and experts, we realised that the biggest gap is not lack of information, but lack of structured, stage-wise guidance. Parents often don’t know what to do, when to do it, and whom to trust,” he said.
“Our effort has been to bring together credible experts and create a framework that simplifies parenting decisions during the most critical years,” he added.
Vartika, Co-founder of Nestology, said the platform aims to bridge the disconnect between traditional parenting practices and modern developmental science.
“India has a wealth of parenting wisdom but today’s families need that to be supported with structured, accessible and expert-led systems,” she said.
“We have tried to build something that not only supports parents but also creates a reliable ecosystem around the child’s growth and development,” she added.
Experts at the conclave noted that changing family structures, increasing nuclear households and the pressures of modern life have reduced traditional support systems, making it harder for parents to rely solely on informal networks.
While India sees nearly 25 million births every year, stakeholders believe that the absence of an organised early childhood ecosystem remains a critical gap.
Platforms like Nestology are now attempting to address this by bringing together doctors, educators and caregivers on a single platform, offering parents a more structured and reliable support system.
As conversations around early childhood development gather pace, experts say the focus must shift from information to guidance, and from isolated efforts to a more collaborative ecosystem.
As many at the conclave pointed out, parenting in the earliest years should not feel like guesswork.
