Evacuating with infants in an emergency - Advice for parents and carers

Evacuate early with infants

It is recommended that all infants and their carers evacuate early or immediately when advised by emergency services. This is due to the vulnerability of infants and the large amount of supplies required to safely formula feed infants in situations where there is no access to power or clean water.

Evacuating with infants in an emergency

If an emergency requires you to evacuate your home, it is advised that you pack 3 days’ worth of supplies for each of your family members.

The information below is designed to assist carers of infants to prepare for an evacuation and assumes that during an evacuation there will be no access to power or clean water.

Items to pack for all infants in an emergency

Suggested items to pack for infants in an emergency include:

• a baby carrier
• enough clothes for 3 days
• nappies, wipes and disposable bags for 3 days (approximately 30 nappies, 30 bags and 80 wipes)
• comfort items, such as blanket and dummy/pacifier
• activity items, such as books, games and toys
• bedding
• hand sanitiser.

Additional items for breastfeeding infants in an emergency

Mothers who are exclusively breastfeeding do not need to pack additional supplies for their infant. The stress associated with an emergency situation will not stop mothers from making milk but can inhibit the let-down reflex. Mothers should encourage infants to keep suckling until milk is released.

Breastfeeding mothers have additional water intake requirements and should make sure that they pack enough bottled drinking water for 3 days (approximately 9 litres).

Additional items for infants fed expressed breastmilk in an emergency

Mothers who express breastmilk should be aware that in an emergency situation there may be no access to electricity or mains water to operate electric breast pumps or properly clean hand pumps.

To prepare for an emergency, mothers can learn how to hand express breastmilk. The Maternal and Child Health Line Tel. 13 22 29 and the Australian Breastfeeding Association can assist women to learn this skill.

Mothers who express breastmilk are advised to pack the following items in their emergency kit as part of their preparedness for emergencies:

• single use plastic or paper cups for expressed milk (allow one for every feed, this may be up to 27 cups)
• enough bottles and teats to have a new one for every feed, these should be washed, sterilised, dried and sealed in a zip lock bag (note: for young infants this may be up to 27 bottles and 27 teats)
• a copy of the Australian Breastfeeding Association's ‘Breastfeeding: expressing a storing breastmilk’ booklet.

Additional items for formula fed infants in an emergency

As access to clean, hot water can't be guaranteed in an emergency situation, those caring for formula-fed infants are advised to pack an emergency kit as part of their preparedness for emergencies. The below items can be packed into a lidded plastic box, the inside of the lid can act as a preparation area:

• unopened tin of infant formula (enough for 3 days’ worth of feeds)
• enough bottles and teats to have a new one for every feed, these should be washed, sterilised, dried and sealed in a zip lock bag (note: for young infants this may be up to 27 bottles and 27 teats)
• enough 250mL bottles of still drinking water for making up the formula (note: this may be up to 24 bottles)
• large containers/bottles of water for washing hands and preparing area (6 litres)
• detergent for washing hands and the preparation area (one small bottle)
• paper towel (2 or 3 ply) to dry hands and the preparation area (may need up to 200 sheets).

Cup feeding infants in emergencies

Feeding bottles and teats can be difficult to clean and sterilise in an emergency.

If you are preparing to evacuate and do not have enough clean and sterilised bottles and teats to last 3 days (this could be up to 27 bottles and 27 teats), bottle fed infants can be taught to drink from a cup.

Open cups are the safest to use. For a young infant you can use a small plastic disposable cup, such as a medicine cup.

Suggestions on how to cup feed – adapted from the Australian Breastfeeding Association website:

• It is important not to lay your baby back because this can cause chocking and spluttering, with aspiration (breathing in) of some milk.
• Only cup-feed infants when they are fully awake and alert.
• Wrap up small babies to gently restrain their hands, or hold older babies in a position so that they cannot reach for the cup.
• Sit baby upright in your lap and hold them firmly with your spare arm and hand.
• With the cup about half full, hold it so that it is just touching baby's mouth and reaches the corners of their mouth, resting it only lightly on their lower lip.
• Start by allowing baby just a tiny sip to encourage them.
• Do not pour the milk into a babies mouth; tip it just enough so that baby can lap it themselves, bringing their tongue forward to do so.
• Keep the cup in this tilted position.
• Do not take the cup away when baby pauses, unless baby pulls away.
• Let baby start again when they are ready and let them set their own pace.
• Follow baby's cues. They should be in control of how much milk they take at a time.
• Cup-feeding may seem slow and messy to begin with but gets easier with time and practice.

Complementary foods for infants who eat solids

Pack food and water for at least 3 days including:

• enough non-perishable foods for 3 days (3 meals and snacks)
• bottled still drinking water for infants over 6 months of age (allow 1.5 litres)
• baby spoons or disposable teaspoons for feeding.

In emergency situations non-perishable food items offer a safe food source for infants who have started solids. These should be eaten with clean hands and a clean baby spoon.

Examples of non-perishable food items suitable for infants include:

• cereals such as Weetbix or infant rice cereal
• long-life milk (for use on cereal only)
• low salt tinned baked beans
• meal pouches for infants, such as tuna, rice and vegetables)
• tinned fruit in natural juice
• fruit/vegetable pouches for infants
• nut spreads
• tinned chicken breast (in water)
• tinned fish (in olive oil or brine)
• baby rusks.

Where to get help

• Maternal and Child Health Line Tel. 13 22 29
• Australian Breastfeeding Association Tel. 1800 686 268
• VicEmergency Hotline Tel. 1800 226 226