Tips to cope with baby formula shortages
New moms and parents are struggling to find some baby formulas amid a national shortage of certain brands.
Major retailers nationwide have begun limiting the amount of formula shoppers can buy as supply-chain issues exacerbated by a recall in mid-february of one brand have made searching for baby formula stressful for parents.
Hospitals are reporting that they have been able to manage the shortages for their newborns.
“Cleveland Clinic Akron General has experienced low inventory on some types of formula, but we have been able to substitute other brands to meet our patients’ needs and we are currently well-stocked,” a spokeswoman said.
Akron Children’s Hospital is managing its inventory and working with vendors and physicians to determine the best formula or alternatives, a spokeswoman said.
Parents looking for formulas in the stores should not panic or hoard supplies, said Dr. Sarah Adams, a pediatrician at Akron Children’s Hospital Pediatrics office in Hudson.
Adams was featured in a recent video on the baby formula supply shortage made by the hospital.
“The most important thing that I would tell any parent is to talk to your pediatrician first about what generic options are available,” Adams said. “If they’re healthy for your baby, try a different brand of formula that you’re giving your baby, but is in the same family of formulas. Maybe you want to stick with the same manufacturer because you know that the baby tolerates it very well. But maybe you can use a different type; for example, if you’re using a regular formula, maybe the one for sensitive tummies, for example, might be an okay option.”
Adams said to also look for local resources or charities that may be helpful to find some supply of your baby’s formula.
If the baby is on a hypoallergenic formula, you want to stick with that type of formula, she said.
“I would caution, however, about ordering formula that maybe comes from another country that isn’t necessarily approved from our FDA. Do not switch to milk, such as whole milk, skim milk, 1%. Babies need to have formula or breast milk until they are 12 months of age,” she said.
Adams also cautioned against diluting the baby’s formula and recommended against hoarding formula.
“Don’t hoard. Don’t find more than 10 to 14 days worth of formula for your baby, and I do not recommend making your own formula, as the nutritional value may not be to the standard that your baby needs,” Adams said.
The American Academy of Pediatrics also advises parents do not buy more than a 10-day to two-week supply of formula.
Here are some more tips from Adams:
● Check smaller stores and drugstores.
● Buy formula online, but make sure to purchase from well-recognized distributors and pharmacies and not individually sold, auction sites or overseas.
● Switch to other formula brands or
types of formula but talk to your pediatrician first, especially if your baby must use a hydrolyzed or amino acid-based formula.
● Check shelf life of the formula you have and if it is on the recall list. Do not throw away any formula that has not expired or that is not on the recall list.
● Use concentrate or ready to feed, which may be more available.
● Do not use almond or other plantbased milks as they are low in protein and minerals.
● Do not use toddler formula for infants.
Tips for women, children on WIC
Nikki Maffei, the supervisor for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program at Summit County Public Health and the director for Summit County’s program, said her program is hearing from moms every day who are having trouble finding the formula they need.
The federal program helps incomeeligible participants.
WIC benefits, which can include formula, baby foods and food for children and pregnant women, are loaded automatically onto their electronic debit card each month for use at participating stores.
The WIC program in Ohio contracts with Enfamil formula, Maffei said. But during the shortage, moms are at times having problems finding the right Enfamil formulas at the stores that they can use with their benefits, Maffei said.
“We hear from some moms every day. One of the shortages we’ve been dealing with for awhile is with Enfamil Neosure. That’s a premature formula that a lot of premature infants receive in the hospital,” said Maffei.
Her office has been working with vendors and physicians and hospitals to see if there’s a different formula for the babies, she said. For babies who are not on prescription formulas, contact the WIC office to get substitutions approved, she said.
Transportation for many WIC participants is difficult, making it even harder to try to find stores that have the formula they need, Maffei said.
“We try to do what we can to help them get what they need so they’re not driving around all over the place, because I think that increases the panic level,” she said.
She suggested calling around to stores to find out when their next shipments are coming.
Her program has suggested spacing out formula needs so parents are not shopping right at the start or end of the month when other WIC participants may be using up their funds and looking for supply.
Participants may also want to consider using their SNAP benefits, or food stamps, which wouldn’t be limited in the type of formula to buy, to purchase some formula to get them by, Maffei said.
Maffei said the program also been encouraging expectant moms to “consider trying to breastfeed and get help for that.
“That would be one of the biggest things to recommend,” she said.
Betty Lin-fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com.