Do’s and don’t’s of managing baby formula during nationwide shortage

ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - The formula shortage is a crisis of many factors, including the factory shutdown of Abbott’s Michigan location, monopoly of manufacturers and consumer demand that’s always higher than the supply in warehouses.

“We get trucks three days a week,” said Jerry Cripps, manager at Mac’s Fresh Market on Jackson Street. “Soon as it comes in, the Gentlease, when I can get it, is gone in a matter of hours. Nutramigen, haven’t been able to get since the recall.”

There is also the prevalent idea that babies are not as profitable as older age groups, meaning manufacturers do not produce a significant surplus in products.

“There tends to be manufacturing just enough for the supply for that period of time, and not like, they don’t stock a bunch of it in advance,” said Dr. Kai Wicker-Brown, owner of Jackson Street Pediatrics. “And because of that, if there’s kind of one hiccup in the chain, we don’t have some stockpile to go to because it’s kind of manufactured as needed.”

While parents struggle to find formula on the shelves and affordable formula online, doctors say not to panic and take extreme measures. There are set nutritional requirements for formula made in the U.S., so be flexible using different brands. Doctors say to not dilute formula, try at-home recipes or supplement formula with pure animal milk for babies that still require formula.

”The electrolytes are very well balanced in formula,” said Wicker-Brown. “It’s a nutritional requirement that has been studied. So, if you’re watering it down or using some of these online recipes, it could put babies at risk for electrolyte abnormalities, which can cause seizures and can cause brain damage.”

For questions and concerns related to formula needs, talk to a pediatrician about temporary solutions while supply chain issues continue.

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