Hurricanes can be scary. I know. I've lived most of my life on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Here are a few ways you can prepare yourself to weather the storm.
Power outages are a common concern. Especially for pumping moms. All that liquid gold in the freezer! A full freezer can hold its temp for 24-48 hours if you leave it shut. So you'll want to freeze large containers of ice to fill the empty spaces in your freezer. I also recommend freezing a cup of water and after it's frozen, place a coin on top. This will help you evaluate the contents of your freezer if you leave and return after power has been restored. If the coin is still on top of the cup, then the contents of your freezer are likely fine. If the coin is at the bottom of the cup, you know that the everything completely defrosted and needs to be thrown away. If the coin is in the middle, then you'll need to evaluate each item and determine whether you can save it or not.
A quick note about dry ice: dry ice needs to be properly ventilated. If you're using dry ice make sure you're using it in approved containers. It is not safe to fill your freezer with dry ice and shut the door.
Pumping during a power outage also requires advance planning. This is especially important if you're exclusively pumping. You'll want a battery back up for your pump, a car adapter, or a manual pump. Hand expression can also be a valuable tool if you don't have access to a pump. Freshly pumped milk can be safely kept in a cooler with ice for 24 hours.
If you're evacuating and taking frozen milk with you, pack your cooler as tightly as possible. When you arrive at your destination, any milk with ice crystals can definitely be refrozen. And while many sources recommend using thawed milk within 24 hours, newer research indicates that milk that has completely thawed *may* be marked as thawed and refrozen. Smell upon defrosting and use at your discretion.
Stress and supply is another common concern of nursing moms. And anyone who's lived through a storm knows that your stress level can skyrocket during a disaster. Do your best to stay hydrated. Continue to eat. Get sleep when you can. This means you'll need to stock up ahead of time on essentials. Don't wait until the last minute. And don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it.
Many concerned mommas in unaffected areas want to donate milk to mommas in disaster areas. While this is incredibly generous, there are a few key things to remember: availability of power and access to shipping are sketchy at best after a storm. And most shelters are not equipped to store and dispense breastmilk. If you want to contribute to relief efforts, there are more helpful ways to spend your money than on shipping breastmilk.
The DQ Admin Team hopes you all stay safe this hurricane season! Nurse on!
https://kellymom.com/hot-topics/frozen-milk-power-outage/
https://med.stanford.edu/.../hand-expressing-milk.html
https://kellymom.com/bf/pumpingmoms/milkstorage/milkstorage/
