Decrease of Breastfeeding in China Exacerbated Tainted Milk Scandal

As a big supporter of breastfeeding, it horrifies me that the tainted milk problem in China is exacerbated by the decline in breastfeeding among Chinese women. In September, at least 54,000 Chinese children became sick from formula and other milk products that 22 dairy companies deliberately contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine. Can you imagine the outcry in the United States if that many children became sick from anything? That’s an incredible number. According to the Washington Post, one of the main reasons Chinese women are not breastfeeding as much is because they are working more and workplaces do not accommodate breastfeeding. Moreover, formula companies have aggressively marketed formula. The marketing has successfully convinced many women that formula is actually better for their babies than breastmilk. Of course, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.

China Infant Formula Scandal Highlights Decline in Breastfeeding
by Julie Bhatia, Sept. 24, 2008

Behind Milk Scandal, a Decline in Breastfeeding, Maureen Fan, Washington Post, October 25, 2008

Behind the Tainted Formula Pomfret's China, Washington Post blog, Sept. 17, 2008