ST. PETERSBURG -- The nationwide shortage of baby formula appears to be worsening, as several retailers are limiting purchases.
CVS, for example, is limiting sales to three per order. Reports say Walgreens, Walmart and Target have launched similar restrictions. Some states are reporting shelves are more than half empty of formula products.
Parents confronted with empty shelves are turning to their pediatricians for help. Dr. Rachel Dawkins, medical director of the Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine Clinic at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, says that unless you're using a specialty formula, it's OK to switch brands or go to a generic store brand.
Parents whose babies need specialty formulas are in a bigger bind. Dr. Dawkins suggests contacting a pediatrician or specialist, as well as going to smaller pharmacies or local offices of the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program. Crowdsourcing might also be an option.
Some parents are ordering formula online. Dawkins says that's OK, as long as parents are ordering from a national formula or pharmacy brand. Orders from off-brand sites may contain expired formula or formula made outside the U.S. to non-FDA specifications.
One thing Dawkins says is completely a bad idea: Trying to make your own formula. It probably won't contain all the nutrients a baby needs, and contamination is possible.
Listen to an interview with Dr. Dawkins below:
Here's information on the formula shortage from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
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