A Blessing for the Family
By Gretchen Rivera de Cummings
 You really notice the advantages of breastfeeding your babies
during a hurricane!
Last year during September 1998, Hurricane George attacked my island
of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean while I was still breastfeeding my third baby, what a
lucky family!
I learned that it is a lot easier to handle a hurricane when you're breastfeeding than if
your using formula.
When the baby cries from the howling of the hurricane, he receives a feeling of security,
calm and love at the breast of his mother.
After the hurricane, when there's no water or the water is contaminated, mothers that are
breastfeeding their babies don't have to worry about adding contaminated water to formula
or giving them water. Mothers' milk contains it's own pure water inside.
After the hurricane, breastfeeding mothers don't have to wash bottles or nipples in
contaminated water that could give the baby diarrhea. Their breasts are kept clean by the
Montgomery glands and their milk is pure and fresh.
After the hurricane when electricity fails, breastfeeding mothers don't worry like their
formula-feeding counterparts, because they don't have to warm bottles or artificial milk
or sterilize anything...mother's milk is warm and pure by nature for their babies.
After the hurricane when all the stores are closed, breastfeeding mothers feel more
secure, they don't have to rush to buy artificial milk cans because their milk is in the
breast, free and available all the time for their babies. If the family has to go to
a refugee station, the breastfeeding family doesn't have to bring the extra weight of
bottles, nipples, or artificial milk cans.
In natural disasters diarrhea diseases caused by contaminated food and water are the most
common causes of death in children under five years of age. After the hurricane,
hospitals are going to be very busy with many emergency cases, what an advantage it is to
be breastfeeding your baby!
Studies in Puerto Rico by doctor Becerra showed that breastfed babies have 50% less risk
of getting sick and they are more protected for otitis media, acute diarrheas, diabetes,
meningitis, cancer, urine track diseases, sudden death syndrome and
giardia!
Studies like those of Feachem R. G. Koblisky M.A. "Interventions for the control of
Diarrhea diseases among young children, Promotion of Breastfeeding Bulletin of WHO
62(2)271 (1994)", and Victoria C.G. Smit Peter G. Infant Feeding and Death due to
diarhea, a case of control study. American Journal of Epidemiology. Vol
129n591032-1041", have proved that breastfeeding helps prevent and control the
diarrhea diseases.
After the Hurricane is gone and your house is too, you just have this terrible feeling of
impotence and you cry and cry. The only thing that brings you back to life is
breastfeeding your baby, like the mother and baby in the photo.
About Gretchen Rivera de Cummings -
Gretchen has been working since 1988 as a Certified Breastfeeding Specialist, and
Coordinator of Leaders and Leader for La Leche League International in Puerto Rico.
Gretchen also conducts breastfeeding monthly meetings to new mothers, educational talks to
Hospital Staff, to WIC clinics, childbirth groups, public schools, University students,
radio and TV programs, and coordinates breastfeeding fairs. Gretchen helps more than
720 new mothers each year, either by phone, internet or in person.
Gretchen has a wonderful web site with many great articles in Spanish at http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/4222/
Breastfeeding.com would like to express our thanks to Gretchen
Rivera de Cummings for her wonderful article.
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