Say 'no' to formula in quake-hit areas

The deadly earthquake that hit Ludian, Yunnan province, two weeks ago has affected the lives of more than 1 million people, over 250,000 of whom are children. In response to the natural disaster, many people have come forward to help - donating cash and essentials - and even rushed to the quake-hit area to help with relief operations.

One item that is frequently donated is milk formula, by warm-hearted individuals as well as milk formula companies. But despite people thinking that sending milk formula helps children in disaster-hit areas, it can sometimes do more harm than good. When an earthquake hits, one of the first essential supplies to be hit is clean water.

Caregivers may not have access to clean water and often struggle to ensure that utensils used for eating are clean, if not totally sterilized. This poses a risk to everyone in a quake zone, but especially to children, especially suckling babies. Diarrhea, which may be just an unpleasant sickness for an adult, is a major cause of death among babies - they lose body fluid much more quickly than an older child or adult and their immune system is a lot weaker than that of grown-ups.

In the immediate aftermath of a traumatic event, nursing mothers could stop lactating. To lactate again, they need proper counseling and reassurance.

Mothers' milk is the safest source of food for babies; it doesn't get contaminated by water and provides babies with added antibodies from their mother's immune system. Breastfeeding also makes babies feel safe and secure. And it can help nursing mothers relax and give them a sense of control, empowerment and satisfaction. Breastfeeding thus means a lot for babies and mothers in the confusing aftermath of a natural disaster.

So, international aid organization Save the Children appeals to people and companies to think twice before donating milk formula to mothers in the quake-hit Ludian. Instead, they should support mothers to continue breastfeeding their babies to protect the little ones from contracting diseases such as diarrhoea - which can be life-threatening in emergency situations - and to get the full nutritional benefits of mothers' milk.