Local birth doula shares options for parents concerned about formula shortage

May 25—The shelves in the formula section are dauntingly empty, causing parents throughout the United States to wonder, "How am I going to feed my baby?"

Fortunately, President Joe Biden's Operation Fly Formula allowed for a shipment of formula to be delivered to the U.S. via military aircraft.

"The Operation Fly Formula shipments will transport 114 pallets of Gerber Good Start® Extensive HA infant formula. This is the remainder of the equivalent of up to 1.5 million 8-ounce bottles of three formulas—Alfamino Infant, Alfamino Junior, and Gerber Good Start Extensive HA—all of which are hypoallergenic formulas for children with cow's milk protein allergy," the White House said in a statement.

This doesn't solve the formula issue for everyone. However, there are still other options many can consider.

In early May, Datasembly — a product analytics company — estimated the out-of-stock rate for baby formula was 43% among U.S. retailers.

Victoria Wilson is a certified birth doula — meaning she provides women with support throughout their pregnancy — at The Mother Well in Berea.

According to Wilson, many of her clients worry about breastfeeding.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, babies should be breastfed until they are one years old, or older, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that breast milk is the best source of nutrition in those early months.

"I have clients who are worried about it, they're worried about not having enough milk, they're worried about it really hurting," Wilson said. "They're worried about not knowing, they're not having enough, their baby is not getting enough. What if the baby is not doing well? What if I'm in pain? Some of those issues can be common, but it doesn't mean they're normal."

For mothers who struggle with breastfeeding, Wilson recommends meeting with a lactation specialist and talking to other mothers, because someone might have a solution that worked for them.

"I think now with a formula shortage, that anxiety (about breastfeeding) is heightened," Wilson explained.

The doula said many mother worry what options are available if breastfeeding doesn't work out and formula is in short supply.

For women who are unable to breastfeed and are struggling to find formula for their babies, getting donated milk could be the best route for you to nourish your baby, Wilson said.

One option is to receive donor milk from other mothers, or to receive donor milk from a non-profit like The Milk Bank.

In 2020, The Milk Bank received 534,611 ounces of milk from 728 milk donors.

"We have this freezer here from The Milk Bank," Wilson said. "Donors can drop off their milk to get shipped to their facility and process it, they pasteurize it, they pack it, and then package it up again to be sent out. They primarily provide to hospital NICUs."

The Milk Bank can provide up to 40 ounces of bridge milk without needing a prescription for families in need.

"This is ideal for short term needs such as at discharge, transitioning to work, or, in this case, a bridge to finding a new formula. Milk can be picked up at more than a dozen convenient locations or be shipped directly. Most families can receive milk in 24 hours or less," according to a press release by The Milk Bank.

The Milk Bank can also provide "safe, donor milk on a long term, outpatient basis with a prescription. This is ideal for infants with a medical need."

The Milk Bar also has a Medical Relief Fund for families who have babies with a medical need.

For mothers wanting a different option, "mom-mom milk sharing" is another way to find milk for your baby.

"That would just be if you're on a lot of mom Facebook groups that would be moms like 'Hey, I pumped a lot of milk. I've got like 100 ounces here. Who needs it?," Wilson said.

One local group is a Facebook page called "Human Milk 4 Human Babies — Kentucky," which allows parents to post if they have extra milk and what area of the state they are located in. If parents are looking for milk, they can post where they are located and how much they may need."

While these are all potential resources for families to utilize, there are also some risks to be aware of.

Risks for babies include exposure to infectious diseases, including HIV, to chemical contaminants, such as some illegal drugs, and to a limited number of prescription drugs that might be in the human milk, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

However, these risks can likely be avoided by receiving milk from a trusted non-profit or having open communication with who milk is being donated from. Asking donors about the types of medications, potential illnesses and diseases will eliminate most concerns, Wilson said.

"There's benefits and risks to both," Wilson said. "But again, in a crisis, it's like I don't think we should be too picky about how you're getting your milk and formula."

Another option is to ask around for formula.

The Mother Well in Berea currently has a donation box hosted by Richmond Smile Design for formula.

Wilson said the formula shortage might change how people perceive products like baby formula — as more of a necessity than rather items people buy as consumers.

"I think that sometimes we have thought about formula more as consumers and less like, this is like a medical necessity for children who aren't breastfeeding. They need to eat and this is literally the only thing that's kind of safe and healthy for them to eat," Wilson said.

For anyone locally in need of formula, consider reaching out to Richmond Smile Design at 853-963-3517.

To learn more about The Milk Bank, visit here: https://www.themilkbank.org/. To learn more about The Mother Well's services, visit here: https://motherwelldoula.com/

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