The good news is that, thanks to some moves both by private businesses and the federal government, the baby formula shortage is getting slightly easier. There were a number of factors including supply chain issues and the closing of some manufacturing facilities that led to the shortage in baby formula. Many families rely on baby formula to feed their children, but it may come as some surprise that even kids in their teens may have a nutritional need for formula. Here are some tips you may be able to utilize while the supply of baby formula is still short.
First and foremost, speak with your pediatrician before making any changes to your child’s diet, especially when it comes to formula. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, if your child is used to a certain brand of formula, you may be able to switch to another brand so long as it’s the same type such as soy based, cow’s milk based, etc.
You may also want to talk to your doctor about other alternatives that come from different countries right now. Doctors are fielding a number of questions regarding formula, and there may be other sources that your provider knows about where you can access formula that is safe from other countries.
As with many items that we saw at the beginning of the pandemic, people began stockpiling formula which subtracted from the supply available to those in their community. If at all possible, try and limit the amount of formula that you purchase so it can remain available to others in need. Some stores may be placing limits on the amount you can purchase at one time.
It may also be worth reaching out to various community resources to see how they may be able to help with the formula shortage. Your local government offices may have information on community services with access to formula for those in need. Additionally, sometimes church communities serve as helpful resources in finding such items.
While production has ramped up and the government has done what they can to aid in a frustrating situation, these are some tips that you may be able to employ to get though a time of formula shortages. Again, the best place to start is with your family doctor to see what options are best and go from there.
