Beijing seeks to include nursing rooms in urban planning after complaints about few and poor facilities

Beijing is seeking to add nursing rooms to public venues and make their inclusion part of urban planning following repeated complaints about the lack of such facilities.

The demand for more privacy for breastfeeding and better facilities, voiced by some mothers after their awkward experiences in public areas, have been echoed by many as pressing, especially after Beijing relaxed its one-child policy so more births are expected in the future.

Wang Guoqiang, deputy minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, said the commission faced the new challenge of offering better social support after the public recognized the importance of breastfeeding.

“We will coordinate and push the relevant authorities to integrate nursing room construction into relevant regulations and urban planning plans to address the deficiency of nursing rooms and an environment that has caused widespread public concern,” Wang said during an event to celebrate breastfeeding week, from August 1 through 7, in Beijing.

Persephone Hu, executive director of the BFlove Shanghai Organization, a breastfeeding support group, said the ministry’s move was very welcome and she hoped breastfeeding rooms could be set up and maintained as basic facilities.