Pediatrician offers tips for parents to cope amid baby formula shortage

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - More and more mothers are having trouble finding the baby formula.

In early April, the out-of-stock rate jumped to 31%, according to Datasembly.

In six states - Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, Texas and Tennessee - more than half of baby formula supplies were completely sold out.

CVS confirmed Saturday that it is limiting customers to three toddler and infant formulas per transaction.

The nationwide shortage has moms wondering what they should do if they cannot find any baby formula.

Even if you start out with one formula, pediatricians say you can switch to another unless your infant has a specific problem.

Doctors say there’s nothing wrong with using store brands, as long as you follow the instructions on properly mixing the formula. For every two ounces of water, you should mix one scoop of formula.

If you add more water than required, it could cause your baby to get sick and develop issues with their blood which can cause seizures.

If there is no formula on the shelves and you can’t breastfeed, experts say you can go to a milk bank and feed your baby someone else’s milk. However, pediatricians warn that moms should never use milk from another county.

“I would shy away from formulas that are potentially marketed from other countries because they may mix their formula differently. What we recommend here is a formula that provides what an infant is going to need for their metabolic requirements and electrolyte needs to prevent weight loss and seizures. It’s important that it’s mixed correctly,” said Dr. Christian Nunez of The Woman’s Clinic.

If you try a new formula, initially, it might give your baby an upset stomach, however, pediatricians say you should give your baby’s intestinal system to adjust and account for something new.

If your infant still has an upset stomach days after using a new formula, experts say you can try gas drops or switch to a more sensitive formula.

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