Many young mothers choose breastfeeding since it is good for their babies' health. However, many public places in China have no baby care rooms, which makes it awkward. More baby care facilities should be set up, says an article in Beijing Youth Daily. Excerpts:

Except for stations and some shopping malls, most public places have no maternal and infant rooms.

Such facilities are easy and inexpensive to build. They usually only need 3 to 4 square meters, with a surface for the baby to lie on and two chairs inside the room.

Yet despite this they are now few and far between.

In the 1950s and 1960s, there were maternal and infant rooms in factories and State-owned offices, as they were included in the national regulations. Nowadays, although the country's economic growth has been remarkable and people are better off, such baby care rooms are scarce, which should make us embarrassed.

The quantity and quality of maternal and infant rooms mirror a city's management level. Civilization is realized in little things.

In Japan, you can find a baby care room in nearly every public place, and there is usually a baby bench in women's lavatories. Although these facilities are not as frequently used as others, they show concern for citizens and a modern level of civilization.

In order to realize "a better city, a better life", the authorities should provide more convenient public services including more maternal and infant rooms.