Leading Lactation Insights - June 2022

The Formula Shortage: How We Can Help

Families in the United States who feed their babies infant formula are in a crisis. There’s not enough on the shelves of stores and many parents are worried that they may not be able to feed their babies.

For many months, there has been exceptional pressure on the US and global supply chains due to COVID-19, the resulting staff shortages, increased demand for products, the war in Ukraine and the scarcity of some commodities. The shortage of infant formula products was compounded when Abbott Laboratories, the maker of Similac infant formula, issued 3 product recalls and shut down a factory due to serious contamination concerns. As Abbott is the exclusive supplier for more than half of WIC agencies, many mothers and babies all over the country have been affected. This shortage has led to panic buying and hoarding; in response, retailers began limiting amounts of formula that consumers could purchase to small amounts that would only last for a few days of formula feeding. Additionally, some families, whose babies are required to be on special formulas, have reported that they been unable to locate any formula and their babies are at risk for illness or even hospitalization.

How bad is this crisis?

It’s severe. As of May, over 40% of infant formula products are out of stock across the country and some areas of the country are in worse shape than others. All formula companies in the US have ramped up production but it is not enough to meet the needs of infants and children. Specialty formulas have been especially hard to find. Babies who have allergies to cow’s milk and/or soy allergies often cannot drink alternatives and they are at risk for severe illness and hospitalization.

What does this mean for parents, families, mothers, and babies?

Parents of formula-fed infants are anxious, under a great deal of stress and are struggling to find ways to feed their babies. They are travelling all around to stores only to find the shelves empty. They are spending hours on the computer trying to order products online. Some parents have even resorted to preparing non-nutritious homemade infant formula, watering down the formula they have on hand, or mixing foods not intended for infants - all of which is very risky and can be harmful to infants’ health.

How can Breastfeeding Advocates help during this crisis?

• Educate parents on their options and let them know where to go for help. Let mothers know that lactation care providers are expert resources for infant feeding. Publicize the list of IBCLCs and Breastfeeding Medicine specialists in the local area.
• Send the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine statement (see “Tools You Can Use”) to healthcare professionals in the area who care for mothers, babies and children.
• Encourage mothers who are having trouble with breastfeeding to seek out the care of a Lactation Consultant. The United States Lactation Consultant Association has a directory of IBCLCs by location that parents can use as a resource: www.uslca.org/find-an-ibclc.
• Ask mothers who have excess milk and whose babies are growing well to consider donating to a milk bank.
• Reviewing options with parents who may be partially or exclusively formula feeding and who are looking to increase or re-establish a milk supply.
• Working in collaboration with the baby’s primary care provider.
• See the US Lactation Consultants’ Association position statement for more information.

https://uslca.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Navigating-the-US-Formula-Shortage.pdf

This month's spotlight: Amanda Ho, RN, BScN, IBCLC from Toronto, Canada

Amanda Ho is an experienced NICU nurse and passionate lactation consultant who is always eager to help new parents and families as they begin their breastfeeding journey. Currently, she is very busy working at two community hospitals – Mackenzie Health’s Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital and also Markham Stouffville Hospital, both in Ontario, Canada – as well as at Jack Newman’s International Breastfeeding Centre in Toronto.

Originally from Hong Kong, Amanda’s family arrived in Toronto when she was eight years old. She notes that she originally aspired to become a nurse because her sister was often sick as a child and was in and out of hospitals. Amanda says, “although those times were traumatic, the nurses made a huge difference by being patient, kind, and caring. This left an enduring impression on my family and I.” As a result, Amanda received her BSN with honors from York University in Toronto and became the first generation in her family to achieve a post-secondary degree. She decided to pursue a career in healthcare and says that neonatal nursing changed her life in ways she never expected, in particular that it was incredibly rewarding to see fragile babies that could fit in the palm of her hand fight for their lives every day. “I felt privileged to be part of such a miracle,” Amanda says about her experience witnessing this journey of growth and development on a daily basis. “And it left a lasting impact on me.”

After working as a NICU nurse for about 8 years, Amanda took a special interest in infant feeding and fell in love with breastfeeding and health teaching. This coincided with noticing a lack of breastfeeding support and resources available for moms in the community, which motivated her to become an IBCLC. This led to recognition in 2011 at her local hospital for not only achieving an increase in breastfeeding rates and overall patient satisfaction, but also for consistently receiving excellent patient feedback.

Currently, Amanda notes that the majority of her professional challenges are COVID-related, including the ways that they are able to provide care, a lack of in-person support, pauses on breast pump rental programs, and the overall bandwidth of nurses during the pandemic. Because of this, many breastfeeding clinics, the HBHC program, and home visits have stopped, with many new parents feeling less prepared to care for their newborn and much more apprehensive about breastfeeding. To combat this, Amanda has ambitious plans for developing and implementing an interactive lactation curriculum for both patients and staff in the hospital setting. She would also like to help Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital achieve Baby-Friendly designation while continuing to improve upon their lactation program, including introducing personalized CVH prenatal classes and hospital tours and allocating more resources and opportunities for staff lactation training and support.

Professionally, Amanda also plans to continue establishing herself and her private business, Flowerbud Lactation, as well as mentoring aspiring lactation consultants with a desire to make a difference. Outside of work, she enjoys painting, hiking, and volunteering with organizations in need, particularly women’s and youth shelters. Thank you, Amanda, for all that you do to help families in your community!

Thank you to this issue's contributors!

Never miss an issue! Sign up to get email alerts for Leading Lactation Insights monthly.