Parents face ongoing baby formula shortage issues following February recalls

Retailers across the country are having to ration the sale of baby formula products due to supply shortages.

This comes after three baby formula products, including Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare, were recalled back in mid-February.

Nearly 30% of popular baby formula products are sold at retailers across the US, according to Datasembly, who looked into the supply of these products at over 11,000 stores.

"A lot of the large retailers, they are out of stock even online so that forces us to go into stores, and you may find a can or two here and there," said DeSara Earle, a new mother.

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NICU doctors say they use a lot of donated breast milk in the hospital. They’re now worried about how mothers are managing the shortage at home.

"We have ready-to-feed in the NICU, and we use a lot of donor milk from the Mothers Milk Bank of Houston," said Tammy Sullivan, the NICU Manager at Houston Methodist Willowbrook.  "We also happen to be a donor depot, parents can bring milk here."

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Pediatrician Dr. Rachel Dawkins says it’s ok for parents to be nervous – but don’t stress over switching from one brand to store-bought.

"For the most part, they’re very similarly made," Dr. Dawkins says. "What I also tell my parents is don’t try to make your own formula, or switch their babies to cow’s milk or whole milk."

Nearly 75% of infants get some formula by the six-month mark, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Experts say production is starting to ramp up and there should be more supply of baby formula later this spring.

In the meantime, advocates are urging mothers who have the ability to donate breast milk to do it at this time.