Preparing for disasters: What pregnant women and families with infants need to know

From vaccinations to home safety-proofing, pregnant women and parents with infants have a lot on their to-do lists. But there's another must-do for moms and parents: disaster preparedness planning. Disasters can be stressful for everyone, but if you're pregnant or have an infant, there are special things you need to know to be ready.

 
Luckily — just in time for Mother’s Day — APHA's Get Ready campaign and the March of Dimes California Chapter have partnered to release a series of fact sheets to help pregnant moms and families with infants prepare for emergencies. The six new fact sheets address ways that pregnant women and young families can prepare for emergencies such as tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes and wildfires. A general fact sheet for pregnant women and families with infants is also available in Spanish.
 
The fact sheets include information aimed especially at pregnant women and families and with infants, such as special supplies they need to have in their disaster preparedness kits. For example, pregnant women should have scissors and sterile gloves in their kits in case of an emergency birth, and families with infants should stock ready-to-feed formula, even if the baby is breastfed. (While breastfeeding is best, disasters can interrupt your breastfeeding schedule.)
 
Read, print and share the new fact sheets from the Get Ready website, and share them in your community! (You can even add your group's logo!) While you're on our site, check out our podcast with the March of Dimes, and read our Q&A.
 
Have more questions about preparedness? Join Get Ready and the March of Dimes on May 14 at 2 p.m. ET for a Facebook chat! Our experts will be on hand on APHA’s Facebook page to answer your questions.
 
And don't forget to enter our Get Ready Tips from Tots Preparedness Photo Contest. Your baby could star in our new calendar!

Breast is best, even during emergencies

Every mother knows that breastfeeding is the healthy choice when it comes to feeding her baby. In fact, experts recommend that all babies be breastfed exclusively for at least the first six months of life.

But did you know that breastfeeding is especially important during disasters?

Breastfeeding is the safest option for feeding your baby during emergencies, says the American Academy of Pediatrics, as clean drinking water and sterilization may not be readily available for formula. Using unclean water for feeding can expose your baby to water-borne diseases such as cholera as well as diarrhea.

Plus, nursing comforts your baby. Breastfeeding increases skin-to-skin contact between mom and baby. During disasters, a mom’s warmth can help soothe a baby in distress. While stress may lesson a mother’s milk supply, breastfeeding helps to reduce her stress, too, says the March of Dimes.

According to the World Health Organization, breast milk contains antibodies that strengthen a baby’s immune system, which can be at risk during severe weather. Even better, breast milk is just the right temperature for babies and can help prevent hypothermia, when body temperatures drop too low. And best of all, breast milk is readily available.

If you must use formula during a disaster, the March of Dimes advises that you use ready-to-feed options that don’t need mixing or water.

For more information, check out the March of Dimes website and download our Get Ready fact sheet for pregnant women and new moms.