A lot of the discussion was about inappropriate formula supplies given in disasters.

Infant & Young Children Feeding in Emergencies - IFE
10 million young children die per year around the world.  WHO estimates that 2 million lives could be saved by breastfeeding.

In disasters infants are at the highest risk of mortality.
Food stuffs sent to emergencies should not include formula.  Powder is most dangerous.

What should be sent needs to be AFASS
Acceptable
Feasible
Affordable
Safe                        
Sustainable
I'm sure you can all figure what factors goes into AFASS - water sources, finances, etc.  If a mom who is BF begins to use formula because it is freely handed out, she doesn't have any way to properly prepare it or pay for it long term and her breast milk supply declines and fails. The aid workers with the magic cans will be gone long before the child can eat on his/her own :-(
www.ennononline.net has a neat slide show on feeding infants and children in emergencies.
www.ibfan.org

Of course we all know that the best thing is to feed mom so she can feed baby/child!  Formula isn't well accepted by adults for nutrition (yuck taste) so it ends up being fed to animals.

One of the messages I got as an American is to find out what is being done at higher levels in US for disasters.  Of course the current financial disaster, altho not made by Mother Nature, will impact infant feeding in the US and around the world.
Many people do not realize that WIC free formula only sustains an infant in the first 2-3 mo.  After that they only get a partial supply of what a baby needs to grow.  As economic  times tighten over dilution  of formula becomes a real potential.

I am happy to say that I heard in Russia that babies nurse at least a year and I did not see formula blatantly on sale in the grocery stores I ventured into.  Pat in SNJ

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