Women worry, but many don't breast-feed in China

SHANGHAI, China ---- With one hand, Yang Aiping held her squirming 4-month-old son amid the crowd in the maternity hospital. With the other, she dug through her purse for the near-empty bag of milk powder she worried had sickened him.

"Is this brand OK?" she asked, holding up the packet of Bei Yin Mei formula. "I'm still not sure. I don't have time to watch the news."

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This story was in Sunday's North County Times. Same ol' same ol' sad story! China's breastfeeding rate is declining! But wait! I think China has one up on Americans, they wet nurse more! "Chinese women are offering to share or even sell their breast milk.Prices for wet nurses, or hired breast-feeders, have almost doubled to more than $1,750 a month since the milk scandal began"..."Most people still don't trust feeding their babies stranger's milk, but more realize now that it's better than taking chances with milk powder,"

The article says, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Russia, Sweden and Turkey all have general breast-feeding rates above 90 percent! And I think that means breastfeeding exclusively for 6 months (WHO and UNICEF).

Below are some links to read, email a pregnant friend, share with your husband, a grandma, post, save as favorites...you get the idea : )

http://www.breastfeeding.com/

Milk Made at Home

The Compleat Mother

http://www.promom.org/

From me to you with love! -Rosie