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Unfortunately this is nothing new. In FYR Macedonia during the 1999 Kosovo crisis, 27 tonnes of breastmilk substitute was gathered by Unicef. Some of these donations were large, suggesting a commercial source. During the earthquake response in Indonesia in 2006, half of breastfeeding infants had received milk powder in the previous 24 hours. Diarrhoea rates doubled. Nor do donations of infant formula do any favours for infants who are already bottlefed. An infant who needs artificial feeding in a crisis needs supportive resources and medical backup - not what you get when formula is distributed randomly off the back of a truck.
I remember when Hurricane Katrina hit one of the concerns was getting formula to babies who did not have access to formula or even clean water in which to prepare it. Then I remember the tragic story of the Kim family, where Kati Kim managed to keep her two children alive by breastfeeding them while they were stranded in their car in the snow. If Kati had not been breastfeeding, would the children have ended up with the same tragic fate as their father?
When disaster hits, often people are forced to relocate from their homes into temporary shelters. These shelters are often overcrowded and even dangerous. With so many people and in such poor conditions, illness is bound to appear within the shelters. What better way to protect your baby than with the ability to breastfeed him or her?
When a family is uprooted, when their whole lives are changed for the worse in a day it can be overwhelming. With all the emotions, the changes, the fears...breastfeeding your baby can be a blessing. It lets the baby know that at least he or she is still with his or her mother, that the comfort of the breast is still available, and that can really make a difference in how safe a baby feels. The house may be gone, the family's life may be uprooted, but Mommy is still here, and so is Mommy's milk.
Just some food for thought.
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