Talk about timely: How can parents manage to care for their babies during a disaster like Hurricane Ike? The bloggers at Emergency Childbearing think attachment parenting may be the answer. “Expectant women, mothers of babies, their families and the public need to be informed about medically unassisted childbirth, breastfeeding and sling wearing so they can increase their chance of surviving a natural disaster or terrorist attack,” write the authors.
When the chips are down, it’s back to basics — including breastfeeding. The United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) says that “in emergency situations the breast is best, especially because breastmilk substitutes carry special concerns.” Mothering magazine’s news bulletin on the USBC statement points out not only why breast is best but also bursts some of the myths surrounding breastfeeding during a crisis.
So what situations can families face during a crisis like Hurricane Ike? One recent link at Emergency Childbirth talks about an evacuee from Hurricane Ike who gave birth to a baby girl in the restroom of a shelter. The mother birthed with the help of an expert in geriatric psychiatry.
On the topics list at Emergency Childbirth:
- Babywearing
- Emergency Breastfeeding
- Emergency Childbirth
- Emergency Preparedness
- Hurricanes
- Medically Unassisted Births In News
- Planned Unassisted Birth
- Umbilical Cord
As we help our neighbors to the south regain their footing after Hurricane Ike, it’s time to challenge some of our society’s misconceptions about the “easiest,” “best” and “safest” ways to care for their little ones. How long will parents have to label these practices “attachment parenting” and set them apart from the mainstream? Breastfeeding, natural childbirth, babywearing — these are the bottom-line norm for human bodies. And they just might be the saving grace for parents struggling to cope in times of crisis.
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You can read even more about breastfeeding during a disaster from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
http://www.aap.org/breastfeeding/PDF/InfantNutritionDisaster.pdf