With the current shortage of baby formula in the United States, parents across the country are increasingly concerned about how they are going to feed their children.
Some are rationing food or heading to distant stores to find only empty shelves. Others search the internet for homemade baby formula recipes using anything from powdered goat’s milk to raw cow’s milk.
But pediatricians warn that do-it-yourself baby formula has significant health risks.
“Home formula is dangerous for babies,” said Dr. Katie Lockwood, primary care physician at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “The regular formula is FDA (Food and Drug Agency) approved and held to very high standards, just like we treat drugs. Making it at home is much riskier.”
Commercial infant formulas are designed to mimic human breast milk as closely as possible, and are carefully regulated to ensure they have the nutrients needed by growing babies in a way that their bodies can process.
“The nutrients in home formulas are inadequate in terms of the critical components that babies need, especially protein and minerals,” said Dr. Steven Abrams, spokesman for the American Academy of Pediatrics. The entity “strongly” advises against homemade formulas.
These formulas may also contain excess minerals or nutrients, such as salt, that the baby’s developing kidneys or liver may not be able to process. Even the amount of water used in homemade recipes poses a potential risk.
“The big concern is the balance of nutrients and fluids that are added, because if it’s not right it can create a situation where the baby can get too much water,” said Dr. Suzette Oyeku, chief of academic general pediatrics at Montefiore Children’s Hospital in New York. This can cause a condition known as water intoxication, which can lead to dangerous complications, such as seizures, in young babies.
In recent years, there have been a number of case studies that have addressed the potential dangers of going the way of improvising. A 4-month-old baby went into cardiac arrest after being fed for a month on a homemade formula that contained kelp, hemp seeds and coconut water.
Contamination is another concern. Parents who make formula at home can also inadvertently introduce bacteria or other germs that can be very dangerous to babies younger than 6 months whose immune systems are still developing, said Dr. Lockwood.
Infant formula stocks are low in the U.S. in part due to ongoing supply chain issues attributed to the pandemic, but the issue was exacerbated by the FDA’s closing of an Abbott Nutrition facility in February after several children contracted potentially bacterial infections. related to the Similac, Alimentum and EleCare formulas.
However, pediatricians say commercial formulas remain safer than makeshift options. The factory closure slowed formula production but was adopted to keep children safe, experts said. “It’s a sign that the system is working,” added Dr. Oyeku.
What can parents do?
The first call any parent or caregiver struggling to find baby formula should make is to the child’s pediatrician. He may have samples of formula on hand or he can help connect you to local charities or breast milk banks that can help.
As of the end of last week, 43% of infant formula products were out of stock nationwide, but Dr. Lockwood said the shortage is coming in “waves”. Most parents should use whatever they can find on the shelves or on the internet from well-known distributors and pharmacies, and not worry that switching formulas will harm their children.
It’s safe for most babies to switch to any FDA-approved formula parents can find, said Dr. Abrams, unless they have specific dietary needs. Babies who ingest extensively hydrolyzed formula for allergies, for example, will need a comparable replacement, as will babies with specific medical needs.
To address this need, the FDA is now allowing Abbott Nutrition to release “urgent and vital supplies” of certain special formulas on a case-by-case basis.
“A healthcare professional needs to submit the form, but this is an answer to this specific need,” said Dr. Oyeku.
In summary, babies older than 6 months – with no known allergies – can be given pasteurized cow’s milk for a brief period of time until parents can find the formula. While it’s not ideal largely because it doesn’t provide enough iron, it’s preferable to offering homemade formula or diluting store-bought formula with water, Abrams said.
If your situation is urgent, see your baby’s pediatrician. It can help devise a plan to find formulas and even serve as an emotional booster before parents resort to something like homemade recipes.
“Feeding your baby is a vital part of what you do as a parent,” Lockwood said. “It can be really stressful to feel unable to meet this basic need.”
Translated by Luiz Roberto M. Gonçalves
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