What Can You Do When You Run Out of Baby Formula?

When a shortage of baby formula strikes, health-care providers and a number of organizations can help. Learn who to contact, and what switches in formula are safe for babies, in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://lifestyle.howstuffworks.com/family/parenting/babies/baby-formula-shortage-news.htm

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Brainstuff, a production of iHeart Radio, Hey brain
Stuff Lauren Vogelbaum here. The infant formula shortage in the
United States came to a head in the spring of
two as a result of ongoing supply chain disruptions combined
with a recall of several major brands of powdered formula,
so a combo of issues both within and outside of

(00:24):
the industry. All of this was further exacerbated because many
parents stockpiled powdered formula during the COVID nineteen pandemic. The
brand Abbot Nutrition recalled several brands of its powdered formula
and shut down its Michigan production facility when federal officials
found that four babies with bacterial infections, two of whom died,

(00:45):
had consumed products made at that facility, and since Abbott
is one of the companies producing most of the US
formula supply, the recall took much of the inventory of
formula off of shelves. In some states, between forty and
of infant formula ducks were pulled from stores. The President,
Joe Biden announced on May twelfth, two that the federal

(01:06):
government is working with manufacturers to increase production of formula
and help families access existing stock. But hungry babies don't
care about supply chains, inventory and price gouging. They just
want to be fed and their parents want to feed them.
They also have questions like can you just add a
little more water to make the formula last a little longer?

(01:28):
Is it possible to make your own formula? If so,
what's the recipe some parents have attempted to restart breastfeeding.
For the article, this episode is based on How Stuff Works,
spoke with Dr Bob Shelley, Associate Dean of Student Affairs
and Director of Admissions on the Savannah campus of Mercer
University School of Medicine. Shelley is also a pediatrician by
training who practiced in Savannah from until Unlike any good doctor,

(01:53):
and he's extremely sympathetic to the situation caregivers find themselves
in and encourages them first and foremost to seek the
advice of their pediatrician or other healthcare provider. They can
give you the best advice for your individual situation, he said.
If parents speak to their pediatrician, they may be able
to assist them in finding formula and get them samples

(02:14):
or let them know where formula seems to be in stock,
so I would encourage families to do that. Shelley says
that for those caregivers who don't have a healthcare provider,
the local Women, Infants and Children Office may also be
able to suggest places to look, but he says to
put your smartphone and social media to work for you too.

(02:35):
A quote. The companies that make Similac and infamil have
apparently developed apps that parents can download. These apps are
supposed to be able to assist families in finding the formula.
While there was a recall on Similac some time ago,
the Similact that's in stores now should be completely safe
to use as long as it's not reached its expiration date.
I'm told their Facebook groups where people help each other

(02:57):
find formula as well. However, if you do find formula,
please don't buy more than you need. The American Academy
of Pediatrics or a a P suggests parents buy no
more than a ten day to two weeks supply to
help ease the shortage, and Shelly is adamant on one point.

(03:18):
Stick to buying formula domestically. He said, I would certainly
not recommend purchasing formula from international markets. The FDA has
stringent guidelines for formula and you would be losing those protections. Also,
don't water down your supply. A formula is exactly that,
a complex recipe of essential ingredients and nutrients meant to

(03:40):
be mixed with a precise amount of water. Shelley said,
we really do not recommend watering down formula. The babies
will not be getting enough nutrition. Nutrition for babies is
essential to proper growth and development, both physical and mental.
Shelley said, we would generally also advise against switching cow's
milk or plant based milk. The Federal Drug Administration also

(04:04):
advises against parents and caregivers making their own baby formula
because the recipes lack vital nutrients infants need to grow.
Shelley says that whole cow's milk can be an acceptable
substitute for formula, but only for a brief and short
period and only for babies who are older than six
months and who have already been on cow's milk based formula.

(04:26):
But he warns caregivers who go this route to be
very cautious. He said, families really need to be careful
doing this and be certain their child is on plenty
of foods containing iron, as babies drinking a large amount
of cow's milk can become iron deficient. Again, we would
only suggest doing this for a very short time and
do not use low fat milk. Infants need the extra

(04:48):
fat for brain development. Okay, but what about switching formulas,
like from milk based to soy based, or just to
a different brand. The APE says that foremost babies, it's
fine to switch unless they take a specialized formula. So
if your baby drinks and name brand milk based formula,
you can totally switch to a store brand milk based

(05:10):
formula or from a milk based to a soy based
formula and vice versa. But if your baby is on
a partially hydrolyzed sensitive formula, and talk to your child's
healthcare provider before switching. Also, while they're not in every state,
breast milk donors are sometimes available through the Human Milk
Bank Association of North America. This life giving service is

(05:32):
typically offered to caregivers of premature or sick children whose
caregivers are unable to breastfeed them because of stress, medications,
or other complications. Meanwhile, if you have breast fed in
the recent past, you may be able to restart successfully.
Of course, milk production and consumption on the baby's part
isn't automatic. It's an individual biological process and everybody's body

(05:57):
is different. Shelley recommends contact acting a lactation consultant. It
may require pumping or hand expressing eight to twelve times
a day for twenty to thirty minutes, and re encouraging
your baby to latch and suckle before and after bottle feeding,
and instead of using a pacifire in order to build
your milk supply. Today's episode is based on the article

(06:21):
what to Do when You're out of baby Formula on
how stuff Works dot com, written by Patty Resmussen. The
brain Stuff is a production of I Heart Radio in
partnership with how stuff Works dot Com, and it's produced
by Tyler Clang. Four more podcasts from my heart Radio
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