There’s a baby formula shortage. What to do if you can’t find what you need

Parents and family-helping organizations are dealing with a crisis: a shortage of baby formula that is especially impacting low-income parents and parents who cannot breastfeed.

The shortage is a result of pandemic-related supply chain issues, weather delivery disruptions and recent recalls, according to WREG Memphis.

Abbott Nutrition, which produces popular baby formulas like Similac and Elecare, recently recalled specific kinds of powdered formulas following infant hospitalizations and two linked deaths.

The News & Observer talked with Patience Mushipe-Mukelabai (program coordinator for Welcome Baby of NC State’s Cooperative Extension) and Kelley Massengale (director of research and evaluation for the Diaper Bank of North Carolina) to learn more about what’s going on and how to safely feed your baby during a formula shortage.

Local organizations struggle with a lack of formula

Welcome Baby helps parents and families in a number of ways, including giving donated items — like baby formula and diapers — to parents in need. Usually, parents can get two cans of their preferred baby formula when they come to Welcome Baby, but with a shortage of acceptable formula, families can only take one at a time.

“When the recall came a few weeks ago, we had to throw out a lot of formula that was donated,” Mushipe-Mukelabai said. “We had so much of it. It was heartbreaking.”

At Welcome Baby, individuals and organizations donate formula itself, or monetary donations are used to buy it. Welcome Baby hasn’t received a shipment of baby formula in a while, Mushipe-Mukelabai said, and their supply is incredibly low.

“Unfortunately, with the best intentions, people think that after a recall, they can give the cans of formula they already bought to a food bank or a diaper bank, but we can’t accept that,” Massengale said. “Same as if it’s expired. If it’s not good for your baby, it’s not good for any baby, and we won’t give it out.”

In the last few weeks, families in need have been turning to food banks and food pantries to get formula, only to be met with empty shelves.

“I spoke to a family last week who were worried about the amount of money they were spending on gas driving around to look for formula,” Massengale said. “They’re using limited resources to chase down basic needs.”

Welcome Baby is a distribution partner of the Diaper Bank of North Carolina, which receives donations from individuals and distributes them to local safety net and nonprofit programs working personally with families in need, Massengale said.

A common misconception people have about the Diaper Bank is that it’s stocked directly by manufacturers, but all donations come from individuals who want to help, Massengale said.

If you are interested in donating baby formula or funds to buy more formula when it becomes available, here’s what you can do, Mushipe-Mukelabai said:

To donate formula: Make sure it has not reached its expiration date, and drop off cans of formula at Welcome Baby at 721 Foster St. in Durham. Donations are accepted Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

To donate money: To donate to Welcome Baby, visit welcomebaby.org/donate. You can also mail a check to Welcome Baby (at the address above), and you can specify that the donation is for baby formula.

To donate to the Diaper Bank of North Carolina, visit ncdiaperbank.org/donate.

What to do during a baby formula shortage

As of April 11, there are ample cans of baby formula available for purchase online at retail centers such as Amazon, Walmart and CVS.

But if buying formula online isn’t an option for you, Mushipe-Mukelabai shared tips on what to do and what not to do during a baby formula shortage.

Here’s what to do during a baby formula shortage:

▪ Try breastfeeding, if possible: If breastfeeding is an option for you, Welcome Baby can help you get a breast pump.

“We have a large supply of breast pumps right now,” Mushipe-Mukelabai said. “We get pumps donated too, and we have more pumps than we do formula.”

▪ Try solid foods: If your child is able to start having solid food, Welcome Baby can give you a chart to teach you how to start weaning off formula and supplementing that with solid foods.

“We offer nutrition classes for parents who want to learn how to make their own baby food,” Mushipe-Mukelabai said.

▪ Reach out to friends: Some people with older children, like toddlers, might have some baby formula in their cabinets that hasn’t expired yet.

What you should not do during a baby formula shortage

Here’s what not to do during a baby formula shortage:

▪ Don’t dilute the formula: Nutrients are lost when you dilute the formula, which is why measurements are so important and need to be adhered to, Mushipe-Mukelabai said.

▪ Don’t use expired formula: Do not buy or use baby formula after its “Use-By” date, according to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

“Federal regulations require a ‘Use-By’ date on the product label of infant formula under inspection of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Consumption by this date ensures the formula contains not less than the quantity of each nutrient as described on the label. Formula must maintain an acceptable quality to pass through an ordinary bottle nipple.”

For more information, visit fsis.usda.gov/food-safety.

Which baby formulas have been recalled?

In February, specific kinds of Similac, Alimentum and EleCare powdered formulas by Abbott Nutrition were recalled on two separate occasions. For more, visit newsobserver.com/news and miamiherald.com/news.

“Recalled products can be identified by the 7 to 9 digit code and expiration date on the bottom of the package,” the FDA said.

“Products are included in the recall if they have all three items below:

• the first two digits of the code are 22 through 37 and

• the code on the container contains K8, SH, or Z2, and

• the expiration date is 4-1-2022 (APR 2022) or later.

In addition to products described above, Abbott Nutrition has recalled Similac PM 60/40 with a lot code 27032K80 (can) / 27032K800 (case). At this time, Similac PM 60/40 with lot code 27032K80 (can) / 27032K800 (case) is the only type and lot of this specialty formula being recalled.”

For more information on the recalled formulas, including images to see if your products have all three listed items, visit fda.gov/food.

You can also check your formula’s lot number on similacrecall.com to see if your item is a part of the recall.