The Wprld health Organization Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) has a whole section related to feeding during emergencies: http://search.who.int/search?q=infant+and+young+child+feeding+feeding+in+disasters&ie=utf8&site=who&client=_en_r&proxystylesheet=_en_r&output=xml_no_dtd&oe=utf8&getfields=doctype

There was hardship, poverty and unemployment during the Lancashire Cotton Famine in the 1860s and the siege of Paris 1871, as a result of which far more mothers had to stay at home.  They were thus able to devote more time and effort to breastfeeding, resulting in dramatic falls in infant mortality.

Hello Nina,

Dr. Karleen Gribble, in Australia, has several publications on this, including Gribble, K., McGrath, M., MacLaine, A. and Lhotska, L. (2011), 'Supporting breastfeeding in emergencies: Protecting women's reproductive rights and maternal and infant health', Disasters, vol 35, no 4 , pp 720 - 738., which you can find at: http://www.uws.edu.au/staff_profiles/uws_profiles/doctor_karleen_gribble

Hi Bridget and Wendy, you beat me to it with your responses. I agree, these are excellent resources and great starting points.

Nina, all the best with your research. It is a worthy topic.

International Lactation Consultant Association has resources for breastfeeding mothers and babies in emergency on their website at http://www.ilca.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3733

Emergency Nutrition Network has material www.ennonline.net  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response has launched a resource system to improve disaster preparedness. The Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE) that has a little bit on infant feeding (interestingly in the women's health section rather tan the child health section.