Working Moms in China Calling For Lactation Rooms

　　Working and breastfeeding moms are using this, World Breastfeeding Week, to put out a call for employers to provide private locations at worksites to allow them to pump their breast milk.

 

　　CRI's Liu Min explains.

 

　　Reporter:

 

　　With a countdown shout from the crowd, groups of young mothers started to breastfeed their babies in front of a theater in Guiyang of Southwest China. But two minutes later, the spicy¹ moms just dispersed². They organized this Flash Mob to celebrate the World Breastfeeding Week spanning from August 1st to 7th.

 

　　More than 9 thousand mothers participated in such breastfeeding flash mobs across the world last year.

 

　　This year, Chinese moms in major Chinese cities are joining the campaigns to enhance the awareness³ of breastfeeding.

 

　　Besides that, Chinese women are also calling for more care from the public to provide private places for them to pump or breastfeed. A young mom says she wants to have some privacy when breastfeeding her baby.

 

　　"I hope that more shopping malls can give us a private space to breastfeed our babies. That'd be great if we could have a lactation room in public places such as movie theaters and railway stations. I always feel embarrassed without such a place."

 

　　After maternity⁴ leave, every Chinese mom is facing such a dilemma⁵ whether to continue breastfeeding or not. If they choose to continue, then they need to bring a pamper⁶, find a private place to pump at workplace and bring the milk back home. In China, these women are called the 'moms carrying milk' who are giving their love of 37 Celsius⁷ every day for their babies. Yu Yang is a teacher and a nursing mom.

 

　　"I have to find an empty classroom, but the door can not be locked. Then I have to change to a smaller private place to pump myself. But some students or teachers could come into the room at any time. I am always embarrassed."

 

　　Such embarrassment⁸ and inconvenience have forced some moms to give up breastfeeding after they go back to work. In fact, only one small room with a chair will help them, but no one seems to care enough.

 

　　According to the statistics from the World Health Organization, only 38 percent of the babies younger than six months on average are successfully breastfed on a worldwide basis. The figure in China is only 28 percent.

 

　　American moms are suggesting their government to make it into law for employers to provide lactation rooms. When Chinese working moms can be ensured to have such rights still remain to be seen, and before that, they may call for awareness and care from the public in various ways.

 

　　For CRI, I'm Liu Min.

1 spicy   

adj.加香料的；辛辣的，有风味的

参考例句：

• The soup tasted mildly spicy.汤尝起来略有点辣。
• Very spicy food doesn't suit her stomach.太辣的东西她吃了胃不舒服。

2 dispersed   

adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的

参考例句：

• The clouds dispersed themselves. 云散了。
• After school the children dispersed to their homes. 放学后，孩子们四散回家了。

3 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

4 maternity   

n.母性，母道，妇产科病房；adj.孕妇的，母性的

参考例句：

• Women workers are entitled to maternity leave with full pay.女工产假期间工资照发。
• Trainee nurses have to work for some weeks in maternity.受训的护士必须在产科病房工作数周。

5 dilemma   

n.困境，进退两难的局面

参考例句：

• I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
• He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。

6 pamper   

v.纵容，过分关怀

参考例句：

• Don't pamper your little daughter.别把你的小女儿娇坏了！
• You need to pamper yourself and let your charm come through.你需要对自己放纵一些来表现你的魅力。

7 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

8 embarrassment   

n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫

参考例句：

• She could have died away with embarrassment.她窘迫得要死。
• Coughing at a concert can be a real embarrassment.在音乐会上咳嗽真会使人难堪。