The intricate connection between climate change and breastfeeding necessitates a profound recognition of the potential carbon neutrality of breastfeeding and the vulnerability of women and newborns in our societies. As we navigate this delicate relationship, it becomes imperative to implement policies and legislation safeguarding them from the repercussions of climate change. Simultaneously, it is essential to take proactive steps to assist mothers and newborns in adapting to the evolving climate, fostering bonds, and ensuring optimal mother-to-child nourishment.
In a recent episode of the Caribbean Climate Calabash podcast, Dr. Catherine Parker Toms, a public health physician leading the Green Cars for Kids program in South Florida, emphasized the global vulnerability of children, stating that they are the most at risk—88 percent—when it comes to climate impacts. This risk encompasses exposure to various disasters, including famine, drought, tornadoes, and hurricanes. Pregnant women, especially susceptible to extreme heat, share this heightened vulnerability, a concern acutely felt in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) such as the Caribbean.
A 2020 study led by women’s health physician and climate advocate Bruce Bekkar highlighted the relationship between pregnant women’s exposure to heat and air pollution and adverse outcomes like preterm birth, low birth weight, and stillborn babies. This underscores the need to acknowledge mothers and their newborns as a vulnerable group, akin to the sick, elderly, and disabled.
Dr. Parker Toms stressed the significance of hydration in combating the vulnerability of pregnant women to heat. Not only does staying hydrated protect the mother, but it also ensures the baby’s well-being through breastfeeding, a natural process that builds resilience against climate change, without the environmental harm associated with the baby formula industry.
Jamaican lactation consultant Simeca Alexander-Williamson echoed the sentiment that breastfeeding is more carbon-neutral than alternative nourishment methods. However, she highlighted the broader context, emphasizing the role of government policies in supporting breastfeeding mothers beyond the act itself. Alexander-Williamson urged collaborative efforts between the government, climate action organizations, and the newborn mothers’ community to ensure sustainability and social justice.
Discussing the impact of industries on mothers during critical periods like hurricane seasons, Alexander-Williamson criticized the diaper industry for contributing to plastic waste and pollution. She called for a shift in perspective, asserting that empowering mothers begins with creating an environment that supports their ability to breastfeed.
The conversation turned towards active policies in Jamaica and the United States. While Jamaica has taken steps to facilitate bonding through paid maternity and paternity leave, no specific measures address the challenges faced by mothers and newborns in a changing climate. Dr. Parker Toms pointed to US legislation like the Protecting Moms and Babies against Climate Change Act, part of the Black Maternal Momnibus Act, as a template for responsive legislation in Jamaica and other Caribbean countries. The crucial first step, she emphasized, is acknowledging that mothers and newborns, like any other vulnerable group, deserve climate justice.
