How Mothers Feed When Food Runs Out

By Stashauna Kelly, MD, PhD

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. Nov. 10, 2025: I am from Jamaica. I grieve over the fact that some mothers have not eaten properly in days because they are saving the little food they have for their babies. My father, along with many family members, colleagues, and close friends, still lives there. Images of the lingering effects of Hurricane Melissa continue to bring a flood of sorrow. Exhaustion is everywhere, and the death toll keeps rising. The stories of hardship and loss are painfully real.

A woman lies along a plaza after her home was destroyed by Hurricane Melissa in Lacovia, St Elizabeth, Jamaica, on October 31, 2025. (Photo by RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Images)

For many, the water is unsafe to drink, and some even fear washing their children’s bottles. These stories are not only about hunger; they reveal the quiet heartbreak of Jamaicans striving to care for their children when everything familiar is falling apart. In moments like these, I am reminded that nourishment is both a matter of survival and an act of love and resilience.

In the days following a storm, food and water become the most precious medicines. Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers need extra strength to recover and to nourish their babies. Yet, the stress of disaster, combined with limited access to clean water and nutritious food, can place both mother and child at grave risk. A mother’s body, already stretched by pregnancy or nursing, may weaken quickly without proper nutrients. Babies who depend on her milk or on clean formula are highly vulnerable to infection, dehydration, and malnutrition. Protecting their nutrition must therefore be a top priority in every relief effort.

The first step is to help mothers continue breastfeeding whenever possible. Breast milk remains the safest, cleanest, and most complete food for infants, even in times of crisis. Mothers need supportive spaces where they can feed without fear, along with simple, nourishing foods to sustain their own health. Beans, lentils, nuts, dried fruits, and local staples such as sweet potatoes and leafy greens can provide energy and essential vitamins when markets are empty. For older infants, fortified porridge, pureed legumes, and locally prepared baby foods can make the difference between illness and growth.

Safety is as important as nutrition. Contaminated water can destroy fragile health in a single meal. Relief efforts should always include soap, sanitizers, clean containers, and clear guidance on how to prepare and store food safely. At the same time, mothers need emotional rest and reassurance. Simple gestures such as a calm word, a shared meal, or a quiet place to feed can steady the mind and restore the will to keep going. Healing begins in these small, human moments of care.

In my years of working with Caribbean and African families, I have witnessed the quiet power of community in times of loss. Women gather to cook together, share herbs, tell stories, and remind one another that life continues. These traditions hold deep wisdom. They speak to a kind of healing that modern medicine now recognizes, the healing found in connection. When we unite scientific knowledge with cultural understanding in our disaster responses, we nourish the whole person, not just the body.

Those who send aid can make a profound difference by prioritizing what truly sustains life: nutrient rich foods, safe water, hygiene kits, and mother friendly feeding spaces. Partner with local women and health workers who understand their communities’ needs. Listen to their voices. Support their leadership. When we help mothers feed their children with safety and dignity, we restore something even greater than health; we restore hope.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Stashauna Kelly, MD, PhD, is a physician and biomedical researcher specializing in integrative health. As President of Greenville Medical Center LLC, she promotes plant based nutrition, traditional herbal healing, and health equity across Caribbean and African American communities.