With all the focus on "Frankenstorm", does your family know what to do to prepare for an emergency?
There are National and State-wide resources for emergency preparedness. Families and individuals do need to maintain the basics of being prepared so that when an emergency may or does happen, response can be quick and panic is reduced. Here are some links for emergency preparedness:
Ready, a National source.
FEMA, another National source.
For those in Maryland:
MEMA, for the state of Maryland.
Each county will also have its own source.
Pregnant women and families with small children and infants have additional needs:
March of Dimes: Prepare for disaster. General advice and ways to keep safe.
ACNM: Guide to Emergency Childbirth. Not a plan for a planned unassisted birth, but a plan to be prepared if you cannot connect with your caregiver during a disaster situation.
Make a Plan from WomensHealth.gov. Please note: they do advise knowing how to wear your baby!
Breastfeeding and Emergencies. Breastfeeding is the safest way to feed infants during emergencies!
Gribble, K. "Infant Feeding in Emergency Situations." Please note she recommends relactating or wet nursing as safer for infants than use of breastmilk substitutes, She also recommends using a cup rather than bottles and nipples if not breastfeeding, as sterilization is a problem during emergencies.
Please note that infants and toddlers who are breastfed will have a ready source of safe fluids and nutrition in their mother. The biggest risk with artificial feeding during emergency situations is contamination of the water needed to mix formula, lack of enough water or formula, being unable to safely store breastmilk substitutes, and inability to sterilize materials needed to artificially feed a baby. Families who choose artificial feeding need to be prepared ahead of time to have enough safe water and formula available, and whatever else they need to reduce risk. I have read information that claims pre-prepared formula is safest, to avoid having to use contaminated water to feed your baby, but please remember that during power outages, pre-prepared formula cannot be stored- the fridge will not keep the formula cold enough to be safe to use.
