Erie County’s Suggestion To Baby Formula Shortage Has Everyone MAD
When we first read that the headline said Erie County health department provides information to struggling parents, you thought they were perhaps going to offer some sort of support or way to find the formula in Western New York. That was not the case instead people were very upset by the 1st suggestion was to simply breastfeed.
As if no one has thought of that.
Maybe you cannot.
Maybe you just do not want to.
You can imagine how people reacted.
The information gives offered perhaps nothing new to anyone struggling to find the formula. Although, it is fair to point out that they did note that not everyone is able to breastfeed. The Erie County health department article did go on to suggest that you should not be watering down any baby formula or giving your infant any cow's milk. The article stated that you should call your doctor to see if there are any substitutes for the formula you currently use. According to the Erie County website:
If you cannot find your child's infant formula brand, I recommend you call the infant's medical provider to see if they have samples or suggest a similar formula that may be more readily available in stores that is nutritionally similar to meet the infant's needs," said Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein. "Using toddler formula or cow’s milk to feed infants, watering down formula, trying to make infant formula at home, using breastmilk from a friend or online group or giving an infant solid food to stretch the formula supply can be harmful to your baby and can negatively affect their growth and development."