Baby formula: Tips for navigating the shortage and finding what you need
As the shortage of baby formula in the U.S. continues, parents and caretakers are searching for what their children need to stay fed and healthy, but with so much information about possible alternatives and other solutions swirling around, it can be overwhelming to search through it all.
There are plenty of tips out there — some good and helpful, some bad and unsafe.
Below, we’ve compiled several tips that we hope will help you navigate the shortage and get you what you, and your child, need.
Here’s what to know.
Formula search: Contact your child’s pediatrician
If you can’t find formula in stores or from a reputable retailer online, try reaching out to your child’s pediatrician.
They may have additional recommendations of where to find formula, such as local nonprofits, or they may even have a supply of formula — samples, generally — that they can share with you, according to HealthyChildren.org, a website connected to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Check at smaller stores and drug stores for formula
If you can’t find formula at big stores, such as Walmart, Target or even grocery stores, HealthyChildren.org recommends checking smaller retailers, including drug stores, “may not be out of supply when the bigger stores are.”
Use social media to enlist help in finding formula
Finding formula can be stressful and overwhelming right now, especially if you’re doing it by yourself or with the help of just a couple of family members.
Try putting a call out on social media to your wider network of family of friends, telling them you’re looking for formula and asking if they’d keep an eye out for some near them.
▪ If they find some, see if they’ll buy what you need, and allow you to reimburse them (some people might be willing to just give you the formula).
▪ Enlisting more people to help you can make the search more manageable, and gives you a wider net of stores and locations to find formula.
There are also groups on social media dedicated to the formula shortage.
▪ Try searching for a group in your area, where people might share where they’ve been able to find formula or offer other tips for navigating the shortage.
▪ Note: You should not make baby formula at home or try other unsafe alternatives that might be shared in these groups. HealthyChildren.org recommends checking with your pediatrician before trying any of the advice given.
Try switching between baby formula brands
If you can’t find your preferred brand of formula, use another brand, if possible — either by buying it in the store or online, or by checking with family and friends who may have formula to share.
“The branding of formula is really just marketing, so using generic infant formula or switching between brands is not harmful to kids,” Dr. Elizabeth S. Erickson, a pediatrician with Duke Health previously told The News & Observer.
“It’s like Pepsi versus Coke. Some people do have very strong opinions about soda, so some babies may or may not like the slight difference, but it’s perfectly safe to switch off between brands,” Erickson said.
If your child has allergies or sensitivities, and you can’t switch brands, your pediatrician’s office might have formula available for those needs.
▪ You can also check this list of comparable formulas for dietary needs at naspghan.org/recent-news/naspghan-tools-for-hcps-affected-by-formula-recall.
If you are a WIC participant and your benefits only cover a certain brand of formula, most states are offering waivers to allow you to buy different brands during the shortage.
▪ To check what accommodations your state is offering WIC participants during this time, visit fns.usda.gov/wic/infant-formula-waiver-status.
Find an accredited breast milk bank near you
While you might see offers on social media to share breast milk, HealthyChildren.org says “we can’t know for sure whether breast milk from a friend or online group is safe.”
Instead, the website recommends finding an accredited milk bank near you through the Human Milk Banking Association of North America.
▪ The only accredited milk bank in North Carolina is the WakeMed Mothers’ Milk Bank in Cary.
WakeMed primarily distributes milk to babies in the state’s Neonatal Intensive Care Units, but milk can also be distributed to families that have a prescription for babies that have a medical need, The Charlotte Observer previously reported. To get a prescription for the milk, you should talk to your child’s pediatrician.
▪ You can search for other milk banks outside of North Carolina at hmbana.org/find-a-milk-bank.
Try using cow’s milk, but only for a short time
If your child is 6 months or older and is normally formula-fed using regular formula (not specialty formula or formula for specific dietary needs), you may be able to give your baby whole cow’s milk — but only for about a week or less, HealthyChildren.org says.
▪ Cow’s milk doesn’t have as much iron as formula, which could lead to your baby developing anemia if you give them cow’s milk for too long.
▪ If you absolutely cannot find formula, you should check with your pediatrician first to see if they recommend cow’s milk as an alternative.
▪ As a general rule, you shouldn’t give your child cow’s milk for more than a week when they are between 7 and 12 months old.
What about about alternative milks?
▪ Goat’s milk is not approved for babies in the U.S.
▪ Plant-based milk alternatives are generally not recommended for babies less than a year old, HealthyChildren says.
▪ Soy milk may be an option for babies close to a year old, HealthyChildren says, but it should be the kind that is fortified with calcium and vitamin D, and you should make sure to change back to formula as soon as some is available. Talk with your pediatrician if you are considering using plant-based milk.
Try adding complementary foods into your child’s diet
Formula and breast milk, if possible, provide complete nutrition for children under six months old, The N&O previously reported.
But for children between six months and a year old, you can begin adding complementary foods. This can be for children as young as four months old but you should check in with your pediatrician about that.
This story was originally published May 20, 2022 at 3:07 PM.
