Recently there have been reports on insider.com and other news sites, that desperate parents have tried making their own formula. That decision has created dangerous consequences for the babies ingesting it. An east Texas emergency room doctor reported babies are suffering life-threatening side effects from homemade formula attempts. What is happening and why?
Infant and Toddler Formula is Very Exacting
Parents may not realize how exacting infant and toddler formula recipes need to be. Making formula might seem like making any other recipe. It looks as if you can follow the instructions and Voila, you’ve solved your supply chain issues. So why shouldn’t a parent take control of the situation by following a recipe and making their child’s formula at home? Because there are pitfalls in the process.
It is exceedingly difficult for parents at home to reproduce the correct supplement amounts in their formula recipes. Even at Sammy’s Milk, when Sammy’s mother was developing the formula, pediatricians were involved throughout the formula nutrition development process.
The Danger in Your Own Homemade Formula
“The hardest part of making safe, healthy formula is getting the exact right amount of vitamins and minerals in it.”
– Erin Hendricks, Creator of Sammy’s Milk
This difficulty is a major risk inherent in homemade formula. If you are sure you can do it correctly, check with your pediatrician before you decide to pursue this choice. Babies are not as resilient as adults. The low nutritional value will affect a baby much more quickly than it would an adult.
More Danger – Stretching the Formula You Do Have.
Some of the babies in Emergency Rooms consumed watered down formula as desperate parents tried to stretch the formula they had. But the watered down version messed up their child’s electrolytes. Suddenly lethargic babies are turning up in ERs across the country because of sodium deficiencies. A sodium deficiency can reduce blood volume and lower blood pressure. This serious condition means the baby’s blood isn’t circulating enough oxygen through their body. It can be life threatening.
Babies are still developing and they need a specific nutritional balance to do so. If you are able to nurse the child, great, but there are many woman who can’t. For them, formula must supply their child’s needs, and finding the right formula during a shortage is challenging.
Sammy’s Milk Gets It.
The current shift to stocking (notice we didn’t say hoarding) of extra formula supplies upended our prior customer ordering patterns. As a result we are changing our own order timing and amounts, including printing and packaging.
Through the current formula shortage, we’ve been working hard to make sure each of our customers has at least part of their order, so babies all have the nutrition they need. We ship quickly and use priority to get the formula you need to your door as quickly as possible.
We have been working with our suppliers to tighten turn times so we can get the ingredients sooner, but we also have to respect their safe processing methods. We know parents are concerned about formula supply and we are working to fill the new demand. Meanwhile, we want to thank our customers for being the best ever. Thank you for product and shipping feedback, and for your patience as we adjust to the new normal.