It’s Week Three (August 16-24) of National Breastfeeding Month, recognized as Spotlight on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies by the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC).
Among the many effects of the novel coronavirus, the pandemic has truly exposed our nation’s deficiencies; one of them being emergency unpreparedness.
Years ago, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) called Hurricane Katrina “the single most catastrophic natural disaster in US history.”
In preparation for the storm, the government organized an alternate site for the Super Bowl but failed to employ an infant feeding in emergencies (IFE) plan, Healthy Children Project Executive Director Karin Cadwell reports. In the aftermath of the catastrophe, pets and exotic animals were accounted for, but mothers and infants were separated from one another as hospitals were evacuated.
In 2016, Healthy Children Project, Inc. (HCP) convened an Expert Panel to complete the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi), an international tracking, assessment and monitoring system for national implementation of the Global Strategy on Infant and Young Child Feeding, as originally reported in Underdeveloped plans for infant and young child feeding during emergencies
The USA scored 0 out of 10 points on WBTi Indicator 9, which measures implementation of actions to protect infant and young child feeding (IYCF) during emergencies.
WBTi originator Dr. Arun Gupta challenged HCP to conduct a state-by-state review of WBTi indicators that can be measured on a state level.
The US Expert Panel reconvened in 2017 to complete the United States of America and U.S. Territories 2017 Assessment Report. Results further show the absence of state policies ensuring babies and young children are safely fed during emergencies.
HCP’s Cindy Turner-Maffei says that the lack of well-developed plans for protecting IYCF during emergencies was one of the most worrisome findings of the U.S. WBTi Assessment.
She explains: “Scores above two points were rare, and most of the points scored regarded funding allocation for emergencies, not for specific inclusion of the needs of infants and young children in emergency plans.”
Puerto Rico and Texas scored 0 out of 10. New Jersey and Mississippi scored 2 out of 10. Oklahoma 3 out of 10. Connecticut took the lead at 6 out of 10.
“Panel members were struck by the fact that few of the states and territories that had recently experienced significant disasters were among those with significant scores for Indicator 9,” Turner-Maffei continues. “Ironically, some states and territories have well-elaborated plans for the care and feeding of household pets in shelters, but none for infants and young children.”
Although there are always crises occurring, since being thrust into a global pandemic, our nation has had to reevaluate how we care for families with babies and young children. Especially in marginalized populations, poverty, health inequities, and other burdens are amplified during an outbreak or other emergency.
Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute states, “Any crisis presents an opportunity for positive, sustainable change and coordinated involvement of all. #COVID19 taught us that we are all affected and an immediate societal response is required.”
In an effort to increase awareness and preparation, 1,000 Days— a non-profit working to improve nutrition and ensure women and children have the healthiest first 1,000 days–compiled a list of five things we need to know about breastfeeding in emergencies in a 2018 blog post:
1. Breastfeeding is the safest, most nutritious and reliable food source for infants under the age of six months.
2. Breastfeeding decreases the risk of infection and disease, which is vital to survival in emergency settings.
3. Breastfeeding mothers need (even more!) support during emergencies.
4. When breastfeeding is not possible, immediate support is necessary to explore feeding options and protect the health of vulnerable infants.
5. Preparedness is key to ensure babies everywhere have the best opportunity to survive and thrive.
Parents and care providers can consult Global Health Media’s video How to Express Breastmilk in situations where hand expression is warranted.
More recently, USBC has compiled a comprehensive resource page for Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies, including COVID-19.
USBC calls on us to take action by urging policymakers to take three actions to integrate infant and young child feeding into emergency preparedness and response efforts:
- Expand the Federal Interagency Breastfeeding Task Force to include emergency and infectious disease experts
- Direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ensure breast/chestfeeding people have appropriate services and supplies during a disaster or pandemic
- Enact World Health Assembly Resolution 12.6 related to infant and young child feeding in emergencies
The CDC offers their guide to disaster planning here.
CGBI’s Dr. Aunchalee Palmquist leads Lactation and Infant Feeding in Emergencies (L.I.F.E.) Amid the Pandemic Initiative, an active hub of research, policy advocacy, and technical support with recommendations relating to current emergency situations.
The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) has made available an interview between Dr. Felicity Savage and Dr. Amal Omer Salim which touches on proper breastfeeding support during normal and crisis situations.
Dr. Savage points out that one of the biggest concerns about breastfeeding counseling during emergent situations is actually getting the counseling to parents. Specifically during the Covid-19 pandemic, Drs. Savage and Salim emphasize that separating mother and baby is not necessary to prevent the spread of the infection from mother to child, and make clear that care providers should follow WHO and UNICEF guidelines.
#NBM20
#IYCFE
#ManyVoicesUnited