The last few days I have been supporting a mother who came to Australia as a refugee and has just been sent to the Nauru Detention Centre with her 5 month old baby. This is the first baby to be sent to Nauru which is a very unsafe place. Some of their story is described here http://www.theage.com.au/comment/one-familys-brutal-journey-to-nauru-20150610-ghkwp7.html
I have been attempting to assist the mother to relactate via mobile phone. It seems that the Australian government has sent this baby to Nauru with no real plans for its care and no one responsible for infant feeding support so this mum is on her own. She is from a country where no one bottle feeds and so doesn't really understand how to use formula or how you feed a baby if they are not breastfed. She has been given some powdered formula but she doesn't trust it and hasn't been using it much. She has a couple of bottles but no detergent for cleaning them or easy access to hot water. Until the last couple of days the baby wasn't going to the breast much if at all and has been fed mostly rice cereal and water. The weather is hot, humid, and rainy (monsoon season) and they are living in a tent.
We urgently need the Australian government to get support to this mother/get them out of the detention centre.
Please join the Facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=656651787801894
Help spread the word about this dire situation on twitter, Facebook amongst mothers who will understand and care.
Karleen Gribble
Australia
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