By Rebekah Pothaar
Ladies, the final countdown has begun. It's your last chance to squeeze out that golden piglet. This Chinese New Year, the real party is in the maternity ward as hopeful parents-to-be race to drop a squealer before the year of the Golden Pig goes the way of the pork ball in your morning xiolongbao.
Photo from valentinesperformingpigs.com
Superstition isn't normally the cause of a baby boom, but in the world's most populated country, having a baby this year promises wealth and prosperity. Millions of Chinese (and Koreans) have jumped at the opportunity with many couples getting married last year in hopes of popping a one-child-policy piglet. But the plethora of pig babies have not come without sacrifices on the part of the mamas, who have dealt with inevitable shortages in maternity wards, line-ups for routine testing and harried doctors.
The usual doomsayers foresee major social problems for this generation of lucky bacon bits, who have been competing even from the womb -- it starts with hospital beds and escalates to competition for universities, jobs and spouses.
Photo from Cleveland.com
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Posted
Jan 31 2008, 01:00 PM
by
Shanghaiist