More baby care rooms open to dads in China as family roles redefined

SHENZHEN, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- In a gradual revolution of public parenting spaces, a new facility -- the "Father-and-Baby Room" is popping up in shopping malls across Chinese cities, signaling a shift toward a more equitable distribution of childcare responsibilities.

At a shopping center in the south Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen, the "super daddy zone" is easily identifiable by a glowing blue bottle logo.

Soundproof magnetic doors ensure privacy, while illustrated guides on the walls demonstrate how to prepare formula and hold an infant. Fathers are often spotted pushing strollers to take care of their babies in this space.

Nearby, a "Men's Parenting Room" sits beside a "Women's Parenting Room" at another mall in Shenzhen, both equally equipped with diaper-changing stations, sinks with hot and cold water, and formula-preparing areas.

"To meet customers' needs, we've set up such baby care rooms for both dads and moms on two different floors. It encourages fathers to be more involved in taking care of the baby," a mall staff member explained.

The key difference from traditional mother-and-baby rooms is the omission of private breastfeeding cubicles, focusing just on care, feeding, and rest functions. A more inclusive and practical trend, however, is merging the two into gender-neutral "family nursing rooms."

Some establishments have re-branded the previous "Mother-and-Baby Rooms" as simply "Nursing Rooms," with clear zoning to separate breastfeeding areas from open washing and changing spaces. This allows fathers to assist with childcare while respecting the privacy of nursing mothers.

Liu Xiao, a father who just changed his one-year-old daughter's diaper in one such room, expressed his approval for this space. "These facilities are very user-friendly and convenient. They actually influence our choice of where to shop," he said. "I believe the traditional idea that 'men work outside, women manage the home' is fading. Fathers should join in parenting. My daughter is very attached to me, and I find it very rewarding."

This evolution mirrors profound changes in Chinese families' parenting concepts, said Ming Liang, executive director of the Department of Urbanization of China Development Institute, adding that such changes have reshaped fathers' role in parenting and pushed society toward a more balanced model of shared parenting.

Traditionally, public parenting facilities in China were almost exclusively "Mother-and-Baby Rooms," designed to protect the privacy of breastfeeding women, often accompanied by "No Men Allowed" signs.

However, as societal norms shift and family structures evolve, fathers are taking a more active role in child-rearing, particularly among the "post-90s" and "post-95s" generations who are now the primary childbearing demographic. This growing desire for shared responsibility has clashed with the reality of available facilities, according to Ming.

Experts believe that the emergence of father-and-baby rooms fills this gap. Building a fertility-friendly society requires multi-dimensional support policies to ease family burdens and promote shared parenting.

The transition from "Mother-and-Baby" to "Father-and-Baby" or just "Nursing" rooms signifies more than a name change. It marks a profound step in social progress, said Ming.