ChotaDon

Only a half of Chinese mothers have fed their babies with breast milk exclusively, a recent survey has revealed. The survey confirms the government’s worry about the health of China’s future generation. Carried out by the China Consumers’ Association, the survey interviewed over 15,000 mothers with their babies below six months old in 30 cities including Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai.It shows that 52.4 per cent mothers have fed their babies with breast milk, while 47.6 per cent mixed breast-feeding with powdered milk formula. The survey also found that only 55.8 per cent of the interviewees prepared to breast feed their babies in the first six months.

Among those who could not persist in breast-feeding for six months, 41.8 per cent of mothers said they could not provide sufficient breast milk, it said.

More than 32 per cent cited busy work as another principal reason, saying it’s impossible for them to rush back home to breast feed their babies at any time they need.

About 13.8 per cent of the mothers voluntarily gave up breast-feeding as they thought powdered milk formula was more convenient and rich in nutrition, the survey showed.

The Chinese government has been worried about the popular use of baby milk formula, saying the growth of Chinese babies lags behind developed countries because they are not fed properly in early days of their life.

The Ministry of Health recently posted a statement on its website, reiterating that breast milk is not only necessary but also ideal for babies, as its nutrient contents are most suitable for a baby’s digestion.