Have you been following the news in the United States during the past few months? One of the topics of the day is the ongoing reporting on infant (0-1 years old) formula (artificial baby milk) shortage. Mothers and caregivers are facing an unprecedented time of low availability of infant formula. The worst shortage in decades! This post will cover the multiple causes of the infant formula shortage, and 5 things you can do to take control during this time.
What Causes the Infant Formula Shortage?
From September 2021 to January 2022, the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), received reports of 3 Cronobacter cases in infants, that turn out also to be part of an ongoing investigation by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA). The FDA was investigating to find out the root cause of an infection that had caused illness in 4 infants: 1 in Minnesota, 2 in Ohio and 1 in Texas. All 4 infants had to be hospitalized. It was Cronobacter infections resulting from consumption of contaminated powdered formula that may have contributed to the deaths of two infants in Ohio. As a result of the 2 deaths and the active investigation, Abbott Nutrition, one the largest infant formula manufacturer issued a voluntary recall on the following powdered formula that came from the facility in Sturgis, Michigan: Alimentum, EleCare, Similac Sensitive, Similac Pro-total Comfort, Similac Advance, and Similac PM 60/40.
What is Cronobacter Sakazakii?
Cronobacter sakazakii is a group of bacteria that exists in the environment, it can live in very dry places. The bacteria can survive in dry foods, for example powdered infant formula, powdered milk, herbal teas, and starches. Cronobacter illnesses are rare, but it can be deadly when infections happen in infants, especially newborn, people with immunocompromising conditions and the elderly. Every year CDC typically receives reports of 2 to 4 infections in infants; however, the total number of cases that occur in the United States each year is unknown. Compared to some other bacteria, Cronobacter infection is not reportable in most states, meaning doctors are not required to report cases to their health department.
What are the Symptoms?
Symptoms in infants include fever, accompanied by low appetite, excessive crying, or very low energy. In addition, some infants may also have seizures. If your infant is experiencing some of the mentioned symptoms, seek medical care immediately. Cronobacter bacteria can cause a dangerous blood infection (sepsis) or make the linings surrounding the brain and spinal cord swell (meningitis). Infections in infants usually occur in the first days or weeks of life. Infants 2 months of age and younger are most likely to develop meningitis if they are infected with Cronobacter. (CDC, 2022)
What is a Recall?
A recall is action taking to protect the public from purchasing and/or consuming/using a product that can cause illness or injuries. A government agency or the manufacturer involved will alert the public to take a specific action. 7 years ago, I signed up to receive all USDA and FDA recalls. It is a great way to receive alerts on commonly recalled products such as child safety seats, food, medications, toys, cosmetics, and vehicles. You can sign up here (https://www.usa.gov/recalls) if you are interested.
Understanding Another Aspect of the Problem
WIC which stands for Women, Infant, and Children, is a federally funded program formally known as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. WIC is one of the largest infant formula buyers. The brand of infant formula provided by WIC varies by State. Each state normally has a contract with a different formula manufacturer; however, Abbott Nutrition, the recall manufacturer, is the exclusive formula provider for about half of infants in the WIC program. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1.71 million infants received WIC benefits each month in 2018.
In addition, FDA regulation of formula policy makes it illegal to buy formula from Europe due to technicalities like labeling requirements. Thompson (2022) for the Atlantic, wrote one study found that “European formulas meet the FDA nutritional guidelines, and in some ways might even be better than American formula, because the European Union bans certain sugars, such as corn syrup, and requires formulas to have a higher share of lactose.”
5 Things You Can do to take Control during this Infant Formula Shortage
1. Learn How Much Your Infant Need
As parents and caregivers educate yourself on what you can do to mitigate the impact of the infant formula shortage. Learn how much infant formula your baby needs. Below you will find two charts showing food for the baby's first year, for breastfeeding and formula feeding per day.
Notice breastfeeding and infant formula intake will gradually decrease in the first year. By 4-month-old, formula fed infants can begin iron-fortified baby cereal. For exclusively breastfeeding babies, wait until about 6-month-old to introduce baby cereal.
2. Try Breastfeeding or Breast Milk
If you have a newborn, and you have no health conditions that can be passed to the baby via breast milk, get all the support you need to successfully breastfeed your infant. Also, check out the Human Milk Banking Association of America here https://www.hmbana.org/find-a-milk-bank/ to find a local branch that can assist in providing breastmilk for your baby.
Breast Milk is liquid gold! Exclusively breastfeeding babies 6 months and younger has slowly increased over the past two decades, while the sales of infant formula have nearly doubled. Due to the infant formula manufacturers marketing campaign. An industry estimated to be at 55 billions. The World Health Organization stated that scaling up breastfeeding could prevent an estimated 800 000 deaths of children under the age of five and 20 000 breast cancer deaths among mothers each year.
3. Contact Local Health Care Providers
Ask your pediatrician and contact your local WIC office to assist you to find an appropriate formula substitute, such as liquid form, or a different brand for your baby. According to Dr. Adams from the American Academy of Pediatrics, “for most babies, it is OK to switch to any available formula, including store brands, unless your baby is on a specific extensively hydrolyzed or amino acid-based formula such as EleCare (no store brand exists). Ask your pediatrician about recommended specialty formula alternatives available for your baby.”
4. Refrain From Buying Infant Formula Online and From Homemade Formula
There are risks associated with buying infant formula online as there can be fake packaging going on. In addition, infant formula must be kept at an appropriate temperature, buying infant formula online makes it impossible to know if the product was stored and kept at the appropriate temperature throughout such as during storage and transport.
There are serious health and safety issues with homemade formula. Simply don’t do it!
5. Check out Different Retailers
Once you know which infant formula to switch to, check out local stores brand infant formulas. No store brand infant formulas are involved in the current recall. Store brands include Costco’s Kirkland, Target’s Up&UP, Walmart’s Parent’s Choice, Sam’s Club’s Member’s Mark, Kroger’s Comforts for Baby, CVS Health, Aldi and Walgreens’ Well Beginning. As a mom, I know there are few things that worry me more than my children’s health and safety. The infant formula shortage can be a stressful time for parents and caregivers. Know that the current government Administration and the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service are taking many actions to help ensure that parents and caregivers have access to safe infant formula to nourish our babies. One recent action is making infant formula that was intended for other countries to be available in the US Market (Dumas, 2022).
Let me know if you are impacted by the infant formula shortage, and how you are coping.
Healthy regards,
Bid
References
Abrams, S.A. (2022). American Academy of Pediatrics. With the baby formula shortage, what should I do if I can't find any? Retrieved from https://healthychildren.org/English/tips-tools/ask-the-pediatrician/Pages/Are-there-shortages-of-infant-formula-due-to-COVID-19.aspx
Center for Diseases Control and Prevention. (2022). Cronobacter and Powdered Infant Formula Investigation. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/cronobacter/outbreaks/infant-formula.html
Clark, H and Ghebreyesus, T.A. (2022). World Health Organization. It’s time to stop infant formula marketing practices that endanger our children. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/it-s-time-to-stop-infant-formula-marketing-practices-that-endanger-our-children
Dumas, B. (2022). FDA Moving to Allow Baby Formulas Intended for Other Countries to be Used in the US. Fox News. Retrieved from https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/fda-moving-to-allow-baby-formulas-intended-other-countries-used-us.amp
Thompson, D. (2022). What’s Behind America’s Shocking Baby-Formula Shortage?
Bacteria, a virus, a trade policy—and a lesson. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/05/baby-formula-shortage-abbott-recall/629828/
US Department of Agriculture. (2022). WIC Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Retrieved from https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/frequently-asked-questions
Comentarios