Breast milk banks taking deposits

As a nursing mother, Liang Juan must pump and freeze her extra breast milk, as she often has too much for her 7-month-old infant. As the milk can only be stored for up to six months, the second-time mother uses the surplus to make soap or as a fertilizer for flowers.

For mothers like Liang, there is now another way to ensure their unwanted milk does not go to waste, one that helps premature and underweight babies.

A breast milk bank in Xi'an, run by Shaanxi No 4 People's Hospital, is one of 17 such facilities across the Chinese mainland. The donated milk is distributed to infants deemed at high risk, giving them a greater chance of survival.