The One Thing Illinois Parents MUST NOT Do During Nationwide Baby Formula Shortage

My kids may be well past the baby formula stage, but I can totally understand the panic some parents are feeling during this nationwide formula shortage.

When my girls were infants, I tried my hardest to breastfeed them, but it didn't work out too well either time. To make sure their little tummies were full, I had to supplement with formula, and it burned a quick hole in my pocketbook, but I had to have it.

Now that major stores like CVS and Walgreens are starting to limit the number of baby formula products parents can buy at a time, desperate parents are beginning to resort to desperate measures, and many of them are very unsafe.

The Worst Things Parents Can Do During a Baby Formula Shortage

When we can't find the things we need in life, we improvise, right? We find alternate products to use, we make them ourselves, or we find ways to conserve the products we already have on hand. Well, here's the bad news, when it comes to improvising baby formula, many options aren't safe for your baby.

Here are some important things pediatricians across the country are reminding panicked parents NOT to do:

• Do not switch your child to milk until they are at least 1 year old.
• Do not water down your child's formula, it will lead to improper nutrition balance.
• Do not use almond or plant-based milks, they do not have the proper vitamins and minerals your baby needs.
• Do not use toddler formula in place of baby formula.

Pediatricians Plead for Parents Not To Resort to Homemade Baby Formula

The one thing that pediatricians are most worried about during the baby formula shortage is the number of parents looking up homemade baby formula recipes online.

A pediatrician at  Akron Children's Hospital in Akron, Ohio named Sarah Adams recently told Fox News;

The AAP strongly advises against homemade formula,

These [options] are not safe and not FDA approved — infant deaths have been reported.

Advice for Panicking Parents

In Fox News' article, Dr. Adams also provided some suggestions for how parents can get a hold of much-needed baby formula. Those suggestions included;

• Call your pediatrician to see if they have any sample cans from formula suppliers that you can have.
• Check smaller stores and drug stores
• Call food pantries and WIC offices to see if they have formula to share.
• Buy formula online from well-known suppliers and NOT ones from overseas.
• Try switching to off-brands

The Most Important Thing to Remember

Whenever you feel like you are nearing the end of your rope, just stop, breathe, and remember this too shall pass. If you happen to hit the formula buying jackpot, DON'T HOARD IT, share the info with other parents and babies who need it! Please!