HI to all here at LACTNET from Mobile, AL
On Wednesday after Katrina, one of the nursery staff forwarded a call to my
home in hopes of getting her some information. As it turned out she was in
the center of town, no power, water, or ice. She had been bottle feeding
for 2 weeks and wanted to know "could she start breastfeeding this late out"
because of the situation. The formula she had just picked up from WIC was
concentrate and could not be kept cold.
Of course I started with all the basic information on "how to" and "yes it
was possible". She said she would call back. I have not heard back from
her as yet and my phones were in and out and I too had no power until
Thursday. I have not been able to reach her.
This got me thinking, what could we as a hospital and Lactation services
department do here locally. I contacted my boss to check with her to see
what we could do. We started contacting our distributors. God Bless Medela
Corp.
Our local rep. could not come but another one, I am sorry I do not know her
name, personally drove from TN and delivered numerous pumps, storage bags,
Purlan, and foot pumps, coloring books, batteries and flash light and
several survival kits of infant clothing and maternity needs in them. We
are one of the receiving hospitals for the LA and MS mother/baby couplet and
pediatric patients. These things have been very helpful to the moms. I
also contacted the Red Cross, and Salvation Army to let them know of these
supplies and lactation services if any mom's had the need or if they
received phone calls for help. I believe there is one southern gentleman
who is still red in the face, after I explained the information I wanted to
share. He quickly gave me to a very nice young lady. The brought me one of
a few smiles this week.
Now I must say I have no financial interest in the Medela company. This was
just how a company associated with and supportive of breastfeeding help one
small town hit by the disaster, help breastfeeding moms. Perhaps this can
also be done in the growing number of towns that are taking in the displaced
families.
Of course one company can not do everything, but the idea is the same.
Accept donations of breastfeeding products, pads, pumps, lansinoh/purlan,
and infant clothes, diapers and etc. from the local area and let the rescue
service know they are available. We are encouraging all our mothers to
consider breast feeding(as usual) but a week or so with out power gives
mom's an extra incentive to consider something that they had not thought
about before.
I have not yet been able to get a copy of the "BF in a Crisis", but this
will be the first thing I look for after I finish list letter.
Thank you for all your support, and a special prayer for our fellow
LACTNETERs in MS and LA.
Sincerely;
Ann Slaughter RN, IBCLC
Lactation Services
USA Children & Women's Hospital
Mobile, AL
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 3 Sep 2005 21:48:56 -0500
From: Diane Perrone <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Donations for mothers/Katrina
I have several manual pumps and pedal pumps I could send to hurricane
victims. It would be a nice way of getting rid of the Playtex pump I
received, but if there is no electricity, it is of no value.
Does anyone know of a place where this could be donated? A Red Cross
truck is parked for donations in the next village, but I don't know if
these 'gifts' would get to the right people.
Diane Perrone, RNC
Materna Wellborn,
Algonquin IL USA
***********************************************
***********************************************
To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
|
