After Andrew when I had my spot at the National Guard triage area it was  
near where folks went to pick up water and ice daily. It was clean and dry and  
in the situation in New Orleans that might pose a real challenge.  In areas  
where there is more dry space then just getting these women and babies out of  
direct sun and under a tent offers some privacy. This may be most difficult  
challenge for these women at this time. We also could offer cool water and  let 
them sit while their family members went on the line for the ice and water,  
this offered a bit of time for them to sit and just offer the breast.  Some  
just were glad to offer it for a pacifier effect initially since pacifiers were  
a luxury. Others did continue and everytime baby cried they would put the 
baby  to breast.  How well they succeeded will never be documented other than by  
personal tales.  
People who come to these areas are not going to be open to large expansive  
dissertations on relactation.  They will listen to 1) its possible.   In these 
circumstances everything seems impossible.  2) its easier to  hydrate Mom with 
water and then she can hydrate baby. 3)they want something to  calm their 
crying child because in all the mess the crying child is biggest  problem. Please 
don't go on telling them how they can do it indefinitely....if  they chose 
not to breastfeed initially they are feeling guilty they didn't or  how long 
seems like forever. Let them know they can do this until the crisis is  over and 
if they decide to keep doing it...Great!
Survival is the key issue to them at this point.
Positive vibes of this can be done is essential.  
Hopefully they will be able to contact someone else as they move along in  
their journey to safety. And hopefully the big bad wolf with formula won't be at 
 the next stop along the way, because the following stop after that might 
have  some problems.
Am saving in a folder all the references everyone is sending.  
Perhaps we can really have a developed plan later but till then its "making  
it up as you go along" as anyone who has been in near mess like this.
Leanne Jewell RNC,IBCLC,LCCE, FACCE
SFl

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