May 20th marks China's Breastfeeding Awareness Day. Breastfeeding offers substantial benefits for both mothers and infants. For babies, breast milk provides complete nutrition that supports gastrointestinal function, brain development, and immune system growth. For new mothers, breastfeeding aids postpartum recovery and reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
National regulations stipulate that 50% of infants aged 0 to 4 or 6 months should be exclusively breastfed. However, the current breastfeeding rate in China is less than 30%, a concerning figure. "According to a survey by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the exclusive breastfeeding rate for infants aged 0-6 months is around 30% in rural China and less than 20% in urban areas,"Liu Xihong, Director of Clinical Nutrition at Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, explained.
Current infant formula advertising in China elevates infant formula to an almost mythical status, deeply embedding it in public consciousness and misleading mothers into believing formula is superior for their children. However, "breast milk and infant formula are fundamentally different," Liu Xihong stated. "The proportions of various nutrients in formula will never match breast milk's optimal composition for human infants."
Huang Qun, Director of the Maternity and Infant Care Department at Shanghai Maternity and Infant Hospital, stated, "The current state of breastfeeding in China is indeed concerning. National regulations stipulate that the rate of exclusive breastfeeding for infants aged zero to four or six months should reach 50%. However, the actual rate is very low, and very few maternity hospitals achieve 100% compliance."