A new study published in the International Breastfeeding Journal entailed an analysis of data of mothers inconsistent with exclusive breastfeeding (EBF)—positive deviant, who were able to practice EBF for six months, and attempted to describe factors that shaped their EBF practices. The present study utilized the positive deviance approach, which maintains that important programmatic learnings can be attained from individuals who adopt positive behaviors. This study incorporated 25 diverse, purposively sampled case-studies of "positive deviant" mothers from two urban informal settlements in Mumbai. Findings were summarized using a socioecological framework – consisting of individual, interpersonal, organizational, and environment levels. The results revealed that mothers typically interpreted EBF as not giving breastmilk substitutes. Giving the infant minor supplements (water, honey) was not considered a violation of the EBF practice. Main themes that emerged as influencers of EBF included: at individual level, perceptions of having adequate milk; at interpersonal level, having role models who practiced EBF and having family support; at organizational level, advice from health workers (which played a secondary role); and at environmental level, financial constraints that limited access to supplements. Moreover, women who practiced EBF could not always do it optimally. Several instances of poor EBF practices were recorded where mothers had breastfed infants inconsistently—allowing for long gaps between feeds, and had continued EBF even after six months. In inference, it was stated that there exists an urgent need for health programs to clarify the meaning of EBF and counsel against poor EBF practices. Advice by women from immediate family on EBF were deemed important and families play an important role in the actualization of optimal EBF practices. Therefore, entire families must be counseled on appropriate EBF practices.