Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery

What to know

These resources can help states, communities, programs, and emergency responders improve their capacity to address infant and young child feeding needs in emergencies. The information can be used through the preparedness, response, and recovery phases of emergencies.

Mom caring for her baby during an emergency.

Infant and young child feeding

Infants and young children are vulnerable during emergencies. Taking steps to ensure they are safely and appropriately fed can help keep them healthy.

Infant feeding

Infants are fed in various ways, all of which need to be considered when planning for and responding to an emergency. Some infants may be exclusively breastfed, while others may receive both breast milk and infant formula or only infant formula. Other infants may receive expressed breast milk, but not be fed directly at the breast. Some infants require specialized infant formulas and enteral tube feeds or total parenteral nutrition, which requires specialized knowledge and equipment and a power source. After the age of about 6 months, infants may also eat solid foods in addition to breast milk or infant formula.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding remains the safest infant feeding option in a natural disaster situation. Breast milk helps protect babies from diseases such as diarrhea and respiratory infections. This protection is especially important during natural disasters when contaminated water and unsanitary environments can increase disease risk. Breast milk also provides the calories and nutrients babies need. Breastfeeding families may need additional support from emergency responders to continue breastfeeding.

Formula feeding

Parents and caregivers of formula-fed infants may not have access to safe water, electricity, gas, or cleaning supplies during an emergency. This may affect their ability to safely prepare infant formula or clean infant feeding items like bottles, nipples, and cups. These challenges increase the risk of serious illness for infants who are fed infant formula during emergencies.

Young child feeding

Parents and caregivers of young children face similar issues during emergencies. They may not have access to safe water, electricity, gas, or cleaning supplies. This may affect their ability to safely clean cups, utensils, and plates used to feed young children.

Emergency preparedness, response, and recovery

Infant and young child feeding information should be coordinated and integrated into emergency preparedness and response efforts for all maternal and child health populations. The following sections provide resources for best practices for infant and young child feeding during each phase:

Did you know?‎

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 recommends feeding infants only breastmilk for about the first 6 months and then continuing to breastfeed while introducing appropriate complementary foods for 1 year or longer.


The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization also recommend exclusive breastfeeding for about the first 6 months of age. These organizations recommend continued breastfeeding along with appropriate solid foods for up to 2 years of age or longer.

Breastfeeding can help protect both mother and baby against some short- and long-term illnesses and diseases.