Having lived through Hurricane Irma, I can appreciate what a scary time a significant hurricane can be.  One moment you’re within the dead of summer, with intermittent news of the threat to this or that area.  The next moment that area is the one where you live, and you’re frantically preparing and asking yourself lots of questions:  Stay or go?  Things to take?  Am I ready?  What else can I do?  Could it be past too far to do anything?

As hectic and frightening as it is for adults within the line of fire, it’s even more so for children and those who care for them.  And when you've got a young infant—or are about to have one—there are even more issues that talk to being as prepared as possible and also to heeding the advice of the experts.  In order to explore mtss is a little bit, let’s start by exploring the special needs of children over these times.

Baby Differences That Matter

You already know that babies are not just little adults, and that they have particular needs that grownups don’t have.  And as essential as it is to help keep everyone healthy and safe throughout a disaster such as a hurricane, it’s crucial to consider the requirements from the youngest residents impacted by an all natural disaster.  Some of the special issues faced by infants:

• They have greater fluid requirements and may become dehydrated more easily—especially concerning since hurricanes often exist in warm weather and water supplies might be limited.
• They have raised needs for nutrients and, and limited methods for obtaining them even under the better of circumstances, not to mention when feeding options are limited.
• They tend to be more easily harmed by toxic chemicals.
• They are more prone to infection, which may be a concern when conditions aren’t as germ-free as we would really like.

The bottom line is that problems that adults and older kids can tolerate for any little while might be riskier for babies.

You’ve Likely Been there as well, But…

Heed the warnings!  Stick to the advice from the hurricane experts!  Sometimes the lure of summer enjoyment—beach weather, kids out of school, perhaps a vacation somewhere—has a tendency to lull us into inactivity.  But just a little preparation goes a long way.  While it’s standard to maintain stocks of supplies such as water and batteries, don’t forget the little one’s emergency kit.  This isn't an all-inclusive list, but here are a few considerations:

• Infant formula, for formula-fed babies (ready-to-feed, in single-serve bottles)
• Diapers
• A simple, age-appropriate medicine chest: fever reducer (when OK’d from your baby’s provider), butt cream, a bulb for stuffy noses, a thermometer
• Plenty of warm clothing and baby blankets. Think layers, based on where you live.
• Baby food in single-serving jars or pouches, if age-appropriate
• Immunization records, plus copies of any records together with your baby’s health background if there has been any problems

Finally, for mothers who've chosen to breastfeed, remember that you have a steady source of nutrition for the baby.  If you reside inside a hurricane-prone area, there’s something to be said for deferring weaning until the end of hurricane season!

And as far as evacuation goes, when required:  you know the drill.  We’ve all heard it, but a lot of stay behind.  People get concerned about their houses and belongings.  They feel secure within their (or their friends’) “Category 5 home.”  And never a few enjoy the bravado of riding out a significant storm.

The issue here's, whilst not desirable, adults can make the choice to ride out a dangerous hurricane.  However, children don’t have that choice and depend on adults to keep them safe.  And although there were few deaths in the Florida Keys during Irma, supplies were lacking for a few days.  People can always rebuild homes, but infants don’t repair quite as easily.  Fortunately, although I knew many adults that stayed and rode out the storm, almost everyone I knew with children evacuated.

Returning Home

OK, so you’ve made it through an evacuation and kept your child safe.  You’re anxious to return to your house as well as your life.  But what is your child going back to?

During Irma, water, electricity, health care, and also the capability to buy provisions of any kind, including food and first aid, were lacking for a few days.  You need to have quick access to anything your child may need.  And in your mind that for various reasons, you may not be returning to a place that’s dry, comfortable, or safe for the baby.

Officials will give saving money light for safe return, but realize that not everything may be in position to have an ideal environment for the baby.  Use any resources you have—reports from municipal websites as well as information from those who did stay behind—to organize for the best return possible.

A Few Words on Pregnancy and Hurricanes

Ideally, hospitals that look after women that are pregnant and infants study from every disaster, and make every effort to plan for safe care and, when necessary, transport of women close to delivering an infant.  However, it almost goes without saying that preparation in this instance goes way beyond setting up shutters and securing belongings.

First off, make sure to keep your obstetrician in the loop!  She’ll know what the local hospital plans in terms of services, enabling you to get the best decisions for you as well as your baby-to-be.  Make sure you have copies of the permanent medical record.  And don’t forget to have an adequate way to obtain your medications in addition to water and, whenever possible, well-traveling, nutritious food.  After the storm has ended, do check in as soon as you are able.

We who reside in hurricane-prone areas only hope for any better season compared to previous one.  But storms do happen—we’ve already had one hit the U.S. at this writing—and taking into consideration the threat now will raise the chances of our littlest ones staying healthy and safe.