NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (BUTTON) – As parents across the country grapple with shortages of baby food products, local health officials are urging families not to panic as there are local resources that can help.
People’s Family Health Services staff help families on a daily basis, but the ongoing national baby food crisis presents a different kind of challenge.
“We get a lot of calls every day, just with different situations,” says director Jodi Sonneman.
Months of COVID-related supply chain issues, exacerbated by a recall at Abbott Nutrition, have resulted in a 43 percent out-of-stock rate nationwide.
“It was especially tricky with specialized formulas for babies with different nutritional needs that the doctor prescribed,” Sonneman said.
With no end in sight for the shortage, doctors warn against making your own or diluting baby food, as both can be dangerous for babies.
“Using goat’s milk and cow’s milk, of course, has some nutritional profile concerns and then homemade formulas worry you about having bacterial issues,” said Great Plains Health Certified Physician Stacey Coppersmith.
Health officials hope the shortage will encourage more mothers to breastfeed.
“We implemented our donor breast milk program about two years ago, and we’ve seen those positive effects in our inpatients,” said Serena Findley, a nurse at Great Plains Health Labor. “But then our community, another thing we want to make sure that even though they’re fired from our facility, they can get those resources too.”
For more information about the Breastmilk Bank go to: www.rmchildren.org†
Doctors strongly recommend that parents consult their doctor if they have any questions or concerns and continue to follow the CDC recommendations for bottle feeding and feeding their babies. They urge parents to ensure that the formula they are given has not been recalled.
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