Baby formula is in short supply, sending many parents scrambling for ways to feed their children.
As families report finding formula shelves bare, some may wonder if it’s safe to make it themselves.
But that’s not recommended, as homemade formula poses serious health risks to young children, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Here’s what to know.
Why is homemade formula dangerous?
The FDA on its website “strongly advises” parents against making their own baby formula. While formula sold in stores is generally regulated to ensure there are enough nutrients, that may not be the case with the versions made at home.
“The potential problems with homemade formulas include contamination and absence of or inadequate amounts of critical nutrients,” the federal agency wrote in 2021. “These problems are very serious, and the consequences range from severe nutritional imbalances to foodborne illnesses, both of which can be life-threatening.”
Several doctors and health experts also told news outlets formula made at home can present safety concerns.
“Making things at home off of a Google recipe is potentially very dangerous for your baby,” Dr. Stephen Lauer, a pediatrician with the University of Kansas Health System, told WDAF, adding that some babies have gotten sick.
In 2021, a Delaware hospital said it had two babies in intensive care after they were given homemade formula. The babies had “hypocalcemia — blood calcium levels that are too low — with cardiac and nervous system problems from the nutritional deficits,” TODAY reported.
Nicole Fragale, clinical nutrition manager for the Nemours Children’s Health System, said she thought caregivers of those ICU patients didn’t know which foods were best for babies. She also called some of the formula recipes she saw online “extremely concerning,” as they contained ingredients for adults, according to the news outlet.
Babies should never be fed cow’s milk or soy or almond substitutes because they have a “balance of ingredients” that isn’t appropriate for them, the American Academy of Pediatrics wrote in 2019.
What if you can’t find formula in stores?
Across the nation, some parents have struggled to find formula for their babies.
“It’s a very scary feeling when you go into Walmart to get your child’s formula and there isn’t any there,” mother Dena Norris told the Sun Herald in Mississippi.
The coronavirus pandemic led to snags in the nation’s supply chain, causing a baby formula shortage that was exacerbated when some brands were recalled, according to multiple news outlets.
“You find yourself looking at multiple stores, looking for just that one can that you need,” mother Chance Truss told WDAF.
If the shortage has left your store shelves empty, one expert suggests trying to visit smaller shops. Also, online groups have formed in several states to help parents find out which products are available, WHNS and other media outlets reported.
If shopping around doesn’t work, you may want to reach out to your child’s doctor or a center that serves families.
“Their first point of contact should be their pediatrician,” Dr. Hugo Scornik of Georgia told WTVC. “They need to call their pediatrician and see what formula substitutions are safe for their baby.”
If possible, health experts suggest breastfeeding as another alternative.
In addition to avoiding homemade formula, parents are discouraged from giving children watered-down or imported versions, as they could pose risks, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
