Breastfeeding and provision of formula baby milk in disasters caused by natural hazards
Citation: Mudiyanselage SR, Davis D, Kurz E, et al. Infant and young child feeding during natural disasters: A systematic integrative literature review. Women and Birth. 2022;35(6):524-531.
Language: Abstract and full text available in EN.
Free to view: No.
Funding sources: No external funding.
What is this? In this systematic review, the authors searched for publications that investigated challenges associated with breastfeeding and formula baby milk provision in disasters caused by natural hazards. They searched in March 2021 and restricted their findings to articles published in English from 2011 onwards. The authors included 13 studies, conducted in Bangladesh, Canada, Haiti, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, and Pakistan.
What was found: The authors found that infant and young child feeding practices during disasters caused by natural hazards were most affected in low- and middle-income countries. Factors that facilitated breastfeeding were privacy, community support, professional breastfeeding support, and pre-existing cultural norms around breastfeeding. Barriers to breastfeeding included lack of time and place to breastfeed, lack of pre-existing knowledge of breastfeeding, and an over-reliance on formula baby milk. Challenges to the use of formula baby milk included lack of access, and inadequate or unhygienic resources for its preparation.
Implications: The authors of the review stated that breastfeeding support and educational initiatives tailored for mothers and their specific communities in disaster settings are crucial to foster sustained breastfeeding practices. The authors recommended research to reduce challenges and to provide breastmilk safely to those that need it.
Other considerations: The authors of the review discussed their findings in the context of socioeconomic status and sex.
This summary was prepared by Isabelle Tahmazian, checked by Jawaria Karim, and finalized by William Summerskill.