How does the weather affect breastfeeding?
Personally, having spent most of my early parenting years in California’s San Francisco Bay Area, I have had few run-ins with the weather, or natural disasters, and how they can interact with lactation. And I’ve rarely dealt with things like power outages, given the mostly temperate climate in California. Until now.
With climate change a very real thing, and planned power outages across the state to prevent wildfires, most of the United States, and the world, is seeing extreme weather conditions, as well as catastrophic meteorological events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and even earthquakes. Now that I’m located in Portland, Oregon, snow storms and extreme heatwaves will be my new normal. So what does the weather have to do with lactation and breastfeeding?
The good news is-not much! My personal favorite thing about lactation is that it’s “free-of” most things. As in, free of bottles, equipment, sanitization, refrigeration, re-heating, supplies, grocery shopping, etc. Research has even shown that lactation continues just fine when resources for the parent are scarce (as in food and water). And human milk continues to be the perfect food for baby no matter what the weather. Babies being fed only human milk, only need human milk-they should never be given water or other liquids during a heatwave. Breastmilk is basically baby gatorade with the perfect balance of electrolytes and nutrients.
But that’s not to say it’s not difficult to continue lactation during a natural disaster or other weather-related event. Here are some tips for planning ahead to make things easier and ensure lactation continues.
Find a baby wearing solution that works for you.
Baby wearing in a sling or carrier is one of the best ways to ensure baby is close to the lactating parent, no feeding cues are missed, and baby’s temperature remains stable. This also ensures baby is safe and close to an adult in case quick mobility is needed. There are many, many carriers on the market, and finding a Babywearing International group near you so that you can get personal advice and try on carriers is one of the best ways to shop. Older babies can also benefit from wearing-it’s a great method of carrying all the way through toddlerhood.
Put baby to breast/chest as often as possible.
During stressful times and situations, it can be easy to forget to feed on time. We’re overwhelmed and distracted or away from our babies, and feeds can easily go missed. Reduced feeds can result in lower milk supply, baby’s weight loss, and other negative consequences. That’s why wearing baby (see above) is so helpful, but setting a timer to remind yourself to offer milk regularly can be a way to ensure baby has a chance to feed. If you’re not currently feeding at the breast, consider re-lactation as an option to keep baby fed and hydrated.
Have a lactation-friendly disaster kit ready to go.
The usual disaster kit is necessary to have on hand at all times, especially nowadays, so adding in some lactation-specific tools might be a good idea. If you depend on power to pump, grab a manual pump and/or practice hand expression. If you store milk, be ready with extra icepacks to store milk or to help keep already frozen milk at a safe temperature up to 48 hours. Have a good cooler with ice packs ready to move and store milk on the go, as well as extra bottles in case you cannot sanitize right away. If you’ve ever traveled of flown with an infant, think of it a lot like that-the same things you’d need for a transatlantic flight, have ready to go. (And don’t forget extra diapers!)
Lean on your community.
As much as possible, let others help with what they can offer. This may mean milk-sharing or cross-nursing. It may mean sharing food or shelter. The community coming together to help one another is one of the best outcomes of a natural disaster, and it’s definitely ok to lean on your neighbors during this time.
Have other questions or concerns? Reach out to schedule an appointment. Stay safe, and be prepared!
