With the ongoing baby formula shortage, new parents are scrambling to find supplies to feed their infants. A pregnancy health center in the state of Illinois is becoming a hub for dads and moms looking for baby formula.
Mothers have traveled farther just to find baby formula with so many shelves bare nowadays. To make things easier for worried parents, local pregnancy health center 'Inspired Maternity' is working to streamline the process for those living in the area.
They are taking any formula you can find at their office for their baby formula bank with "Inspired Maternity" starting this public service on Monday. Dr. Ashley Wozniak, who is the owner of "Inspired Maternity" told ABC that an easy way to help is by checking their cabinets for any extra formula, while keeping an extra eye out the next time they are shopping.
Wozniak insists baby formula shortage will not last forever
Wozniak added that this is not a shortage that will last forever. She thinks just with how things are going in general, with the economy and other shortages, that this may be something they could be dealing with for more than just the short-term.
Desperate times call for desperate measures with some parents even sharing homemade recipes for baby formula, often decades old in some cases. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Food and Drugs Administration have been adamant that homemade baby formula is not safe with research showing that the health effects from such solutions could cause problems to infants and babies.
Wozniak said that they do not want parents and mothers in the community to reach that kind of panic mode. Despite the need for baby formula supply, not every product is safe for use at this time. Recent recalls have affected what infant formula is okay for customers to buy, including products under the Elecare, Similac, and Alimentum labels, according to a report by WISN.
Read Also: FDA Says Infant Formula Maker Abbott Nutrition to Release Certain Products on a Case-by-Case Basis
Recalled baby formula items have indicators
Wozniak said that the baby formula recalls only add on to the burden of parents, who are already looking for products amid the lacking supply. She said that the ongoing baby formula shortage has forced parents to maybe look at transitioning their babies to a different formula and that process is always challenging.
Any recalled baby formula items will have indicators such as: 1) The first two numbers of the product code are between 22 and 37; 2) They have K8, SH or Z2; 3) They have an expiration date of April 1, 2022 or after; and 4) For Similac 60/40Lot, the number is 27032K80 for a can, and 27032K800 for a case, according to the FDA.
Interested community members who want to participate in this worthwhile endeavor can drop off their baby formula donations at the studio which is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. If the donor can only drop off on the weekends, he or she can contact Wozniak at her email address: inspiredmaternity@gmail.com.
