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Beijing, March 7, 2012 - Both a political adviser and mother, UNICEF Ambassador Yang Lan is keen to help support millions of Chinese mothers like herself. In the ninth year of her term as a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Yang Lan has submitted a resolution calling for support of breast-feeding mothers in China.

©UNICEF/China/2011 Gillian Mellsop, UNICEF China Representative (L) and Yang Lan, UNICEF Ambassador in China visit children and families in Sichuan in early 2011.

There are over 16 million children born in China every year, yet in 2008 only 28% of infants were exclusively breastfed until the optimal age of 6 months according to the Ministry of Health.

In comparison, with higher public awareness and better enforcement of the International Code on the Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, some other Asian countries have shown a sharp increase in the exclusive breastfeeding rate. For example, in Cambodia exclusive breastfeeding increased from 12% in 2000 to over 65% in 2008. In Korea, breastfeeding increased from 20% in 2000 to 89% in 2009 with the exclusive breastfeeding rate reaching 49.3% in 2009.^*

In recent years China has had the fastest rise in infant formula sales of any country. Many formula products are aggressively marketed with false and exaggerated claims.

“Infant formula companies in China are spending billions of dollars to convince mothers that their products are safe and beneficial for their babies. This is false.” Said Gillian Mellsop, UNICEF China Representative. “Breastfeeding is best for all children, but we are especially worried that with such aggressive advertising, millions of poor rural women are being duped into spending large sums on very poor feeding choices.”

In addition, China's official maternity leave of only three months after delivery and lack of breastfeeding breaks in the workplace are a concern for working mothers.

In view of this, Yang Lan has made the following three propositions:

1. Engage in communication campaigns to promote exclusive breastfeeding. Improve the quality of counselling on breastfeeding such as counselling hotlines, websites or peer-support mechanisms. Ensure that health workers can access effective forms of refresher training on knowledge of breastfeeding.

2. Further implement the International Code on the Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes ratified by China, and control the marketing of breast-milk substitutes.

3. Support women in paid employment outside the home to continue breastfeeding by providing them with more flexible working hours and, on-site breastfeeding rooms.

 “Exclusively breastfed children are brighter and healthier. They and their mothers will gain significant lifelong benefits, but we need to support breastfeeding and regulate the marketing of infant formula better.” said Yang Lan. Yang Lan was appointed UNICEF China Ambassador in April 2010.

“We are very happy that Yang Lan has taken up the cause of promoting breastfeeding,” said Dale Rutstein, UNICEF Chief of Communication. “With China's high rate of stunting and poor sanitation in rural areas this is one of our most important communication issues. High rates of optimal breastfeeding will save thousands of children's lives in China.”

“Yang Lan is a fantastic advocate because she breastfed her own children and she helps get the message across that breastfeeding is what every intelligent, modern mother can aspire to.” Rutstein said.

Yang Lan was appointed UNICEF China Ambassador in April 2010. As a UNICEF Ambassador she has placed great importance on the health and welfare of children and mothers. She has played an important role in UNICEF efforts to advocate for hand-washing and young child nutrition.

For concerned and future mothers, the new UNICEF website (www.unicef.cn) is a source of reliable information.

Learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding from “Facts of Life ”  

Infant feeding habits

Infants nutrition guidelines

We have also prepared this easy-to-read Q&A on breastfeeding