The nationwide infant formula shortage has caused stress for many families, but help is available. The following information was provided by the Washington State Department of Health and provides resources and information from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Washington WIC program, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Your baby’s doctor, nurse, or clinic is the best source of information on your baby’s nutrition. Please contact them if you have any concerns. If you participate in WIC:
Basic Food (SNAP) benefits can be used to shop for infant formula at a variety of stores, including drugstores. You can use the benefits to shop in person or online. To find out if you’re eligible to participate in SNAP, visit the Parenthelp123 web page or call 1-800-322-2588. All other families can:
In this urgent situation, the American Academy of Pediatrics says it’s OK for most babies to switch to any available formula, including store brands, unless your baby needs a specialty formula. If your baby is on a specific extensively hydrolyzedor amino acid-based formula such as Elecare, ask your baby’s doctor, nurse, or clinic about other options. You can also ask your OBGYN or your baby’s doctor, nurse, or clinic if they have formula samples on hand that they can provide.
No. You should always follow instructions on the packaging, and the information your baby's doctor, nurse, or clinic gives you. Diluted formula is dangerous and can cause your baby to not get enough nutrition. That can cause serious health problems.
The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly advises against making your own baby formula. Homemade formula is not safe and does not give your baby enough nutrition. Some infant deaths have been linked to homemade formulas.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken steps to increase the supply of imported baby formula. On May 16, 2022 the FDA said imported products that meet safety and nutrition standards could arrive in the U.S. in the coming weeks.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend toddler formulas for babies. But the AAP says if you have no other choice, toddler formula is safe to use for a few days for babies close to one year old.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says formulas made for premature babies are safe for full-term babies for a few weeks if nothing else is available.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says that for babies older than 6 months who take regular (not specialty) formula, whole cow’s milk may be an option for a short period of time (no longer than one week). AAP says it’s not ideal and should not be given longer than one week. When giving cow’s milk, it is important to make sure your baby is getting enough iron to prevent anemia. It’s also important to give your baby plenty of iron-containing foods, such as jarred baby meats or iron-fortified cereals. If you need to give your baby whole cow’s milk for a week during the shortage, talk with your baby’s doctor, nurse, or clinic.
Goat's milk is not approved for babies in the United States. However, some countries have approved baby formulas made from goat milk. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration may consider allowing those products to be imported during this shortage.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says plant-based milk alternatives are not recommended for babies under one year old. The AAP says in an emergency, you can give soy milk to a baby who is close to one year old for no more than a week, but the soy milk should be fortified with protein and calcium. Be sure to switch back to formula as soon as it’s available again.
Do not give your baby almond milk or other plant milks. These often do not have enough protein and minerals for your baby.
Talk to your baby’s doctor, nurse, or clinic if you’re thinking of using a plant-based milk.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said that it will allow Abbott to release some specialty and metabolic formulas from the company’s factory in Sturgis, Michigan in certain situations. If your baby needs one of those formulas, ask your baby’s doctor, nurse, or clinic about getting the product.
Breastfeeding after a long pause or starting breastfeeding after never having done it is possible, but it does take time and effort. La Leche League International has resources on how to stimulate milk supply.