First Responders Support Infant and Young Child Feeding

/ First Responders, Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (IYCFE)
Supporting Parents in an Emergency
Resources for First Responders
Resources for Families
Donating and Distributing Infant Formula

Supporting Families in an Emergency

Any time a parent needs a First Responder, it is an emergency for that family. As a first step, it is vital to know North Carolina law regarding breastfeeding. The law states that:

…a woman may breastfeed in any public or private location where she is otherwise authorized to be, irrespective of whether the nipple of the mother’s breast is uncovered during or incidental to the breastfeeding.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-190.9 (1993)

Emergencies occur when least expected and often without warning, and sometimes when we are least prepared. Emergencies include a wide range of unsettling events, including personal or family crises, public health emergencies (e.g., COVID pandemic), acts of terror and violence, power outages or water main breaks (e.g., water no longer safe to drink), or natural disasters or weather-related events (e.g., floods and blizzards). Emergencies can make it hard for parents and caregivers to feed their infants and young children safely. While disasters impact us all, they heavily impact our young families, especially vulnerable families already marginalized or without adequate resources. 

Infants and children are the most vulnerable during emergencies.

  • Nearly 95% of infant and child deaths in emergencies result from diarrhea due to contaminated water and an unsanitary environment.
  • Infant formula has been linked to an increase in infant disease and death: it can also be contaminated and requires clean water and fuel to sterilize formula, bottles, and nipples. Lack of electricity also can make it difficult to preserve formula.
  • Breastfeeding saves lives! Human milk is always clean, requires no fuel, water, or electricity, and is available, even in the direst circumstances.
  • Human milk contains antibodies that fight infection, including diarrhea and respiratory infections common among infants in emergency situations.
  • Human milk provides infants with perfect nutrition, including the proper amount of vitamins and minerals required for normal growth.
  • Mothers who breastfeed are able to keep their babies warm to prevent hypothermia.
US Breastfeeding Committee (https://www.usbreastfeeding.org/breastfeeding-in-emergencies)

Breastfeeding in emergencies is not easy. However, when our community ensures that equitable protection, promotion, and support for chestfeeding/breastfeeding is a part of our first responder training and emergency preparedness planning, families are more likely to receive the help they need to continue nursing their children despite the obstacles.

Create a safe place for breastfeeding.

  • Keep families together. Although it may feel good as an emergency worker to feed and comfort a child, emergency workers and volunteers should ensure that families are not separated and provide support to parents so that parents can feed and comfort their children.
  • Create safe, private areas for breastfeeding parents to nurse their infants.

Target support for the nursing family’s needs.

  • Provide nourishment and clean water to the parents to help them stay hydrated and strong to care for their children.
  • Reassure nursing parents that continuing to breastfeed is the best choice for feeding their infant and encourage parents to breastfeed as often as the baby wants. It is clean, safe, and readily available.
  • Encourage parents who are combining both breastfeeding and bottle-feeding to increase breastfeeding during the emergency as the clean, safe, and readily-available feeding method.

Things to Avoid.

  • Avoid providing breast pumps. Without power, parents cannot use an electric breast pump or safely refrigerate their expressed milk. Furthermore, keeping pump parts clean is an additional challenge when the water is unsafe.
  • Avoid giving powdered infant formula or other breast milk substitutes without first assessing need. Formula should not be provided to breastfeeding infants or their families.
  • Avoid accepting donations of infant formula. Agencies should purchase ready-to-feed infant formula, as needed, for families that are already using infant formula.

Resources for First Responders and Emergency Response Teams

Resources for Families

Donating and Distributing Infant Formula

Often the first thing that our communities want to provide…and individual citizens want to donate…is infant formula for families with young children. Communities and individuals may have the best intentions; it feels good to “do something” so tangible as to support the feeding of babies in times of crises. Some families will be using infant formula for infant feeding before the emergency, and relief agencies will need to provide ready-to-feed formula for those families. What are some things to consider?

  • Always complete a feeding assessment before distributing infant formula to determine the family’s infant feeding needs. Why?
    • A breastfeeding family does not need infant formula. They need reassurance, support and encouragement to continue chestfeeding/breastfeeding.
      • Families can and should continue to breastfeed in an emergency.
      • By giving a container of formula to all families with infants, the emergency worker or volunteer is incorrectly suggesting that the parent should not breastfeed or cannot successfully breastfeed during the emergency.
    • The family may need feeding supplies or education about safe preparation and storage, especially if they do not have access to clean, safe water.
  • Do not request or accept donations of formula.
    • The CDC Infant Feeding Donations in Emergencies states that “only official relief organizations should provide and manage emergency supplies of infant formula”.
    • Purchase ready-to-feed infant formula, as needed. Some families will be using infant formula for infant feeding before the emergency and may need ready-to-feed formula and information on keeping the formula safe for their infants.
Safe Infant Feeding in Emergencies from Breastfeeding Family Friendly Communities

Summary

North Carolina law protects breastfeeding in public.

Policies and practices that support Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies are vital for the health and safety of our youngest community members and their families.

Breastfeeding saves lives! It continues to be the optimal way to feed infants, even in emergencies.

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