Formula Shortage
Recently I had a patient reach out to let me know she was unable to locate the formula she routinely provided to her baby. She let me know she was considering feeding her baby with breastmilk from a friend and was concerned about allergens in some of the other formula products.
Nothing is as important to families as the health and safety of their babies. The formula shortage has left many anxious about how to feed them. My guess is that many are thinking about a similar solution. I thought I would share a few recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- Consider trying a brand new formula
- Consider trying a formula made in another country
- Talk to your physician about substitutes for hypoallergenic or specialty forumulas (as was the case in the above example)
OPTIONS for HOW to FEED YOUR BABY SAFELY
- Consider discussing using whole cow’s milk if baby is over 6mo
- If baby is close to one year discuss with physician options for toddler drinks
- Consider using local milk bank
AVOID these options
DO NOT share breast milk with friends or purchase on the internet. There are significant infectious disease and storage safety risks
DO NOT water down formula
DO NOT make it at home
DO NOT use expired formula
