<ul class="summary-list"><li>Annika Connor doesn't have a baby, so she was shocked to get a package of Enfamil baby <keyword id="13903061" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="formula" source="Orion">formula</keyword>.</li><li>Jen St. Jude said she also received formula she didn't order or request.</li></ul>When a package of Enfamil baby formula was delivered to Annika Connor's home this week, she was confused. The name and address on the package were correct, but Connor doesn't have a baby and had no idea why Mead Johnson, the maker of Enfamil, would send her a gift package containing three canisters of powdered formula and two ready-to-feed bottles. "I'm a single, unmarried New Yorker that is not pregnant and not undergoing any fertility treatment at the moment," Connor told Insider. Unaware of <a href="https://www.insider.com/formula-shortage-causing-women-relactate-feed-their-babies-2022-5">the severity</a> of the <a href="https://www.insider.com/pediatrician-formula-shortage-coping-tips-2022-5">formula shortage</a>, Connor posted the package on a local "Buy Nothing" group on Facebook and was shocked by the volume of responses. She was happy to be able to give the formula to a family that needed it but questioned why she received it in the first place. "If this is some sort of weird marketing campaign, and they're just sending random formula samples to women of a certain age, I think it's really bad because there's obviously mothers in need," she said. She stressed that she wasn't angry but concerned. While Connor was simply confused by the arrival of unrequested baby formula, she worried that people struggling with infertility or infant loss could be deeply hurt if they received such a package unsolicited. <h2>These unsolicited packages can be triggering</h2>Jen St. Jude shared Connor's concerns. She received a package from a different formula company — Abbott, the maker of Similac — but unlike Connor, she believed she knew why. Two months ago, she created a baby registry as she was planning to adopt a baby. The adoption didn't happen, and the arrival of unsolicited baby formula felt invasive and potentially wasteful, she said. "The baby was due around now, like a couple of weeks ago, so I thought, 'They just think I have a new child, and they're trying to hook me,' which I thought was a little annoying," said St. Jude, who was more annoyed when she realized how hard it is for parents to buy formula right now. "It's kind of messed up that they're sending out the samples clearly to mass lists when people actually desperately need it," she said. Insider contacted both Abbott and Mead Johnson, requesting clarification on why the companies sent formula samples to people who hadn't requested them during a <keyword id="13903062" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="formula-shortage" source="Orion">formula shortage</keyword>. Neither company responded. <h2>Sending samples is a common practice in the baby industry</h2>Sending formula samples in the mail was a common practice for baby-formula companies prior to the formula shortage, and a 2017 <a href="https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/unwanted-delivery-surprise-baby-care-package-stuns-chicago-woman-and-many-others/19126/">report</a> by NBC Chicago found online complaints about unsolicited formula deliveries dating back to the early 2000s. Many breastfeeding advocates are critical of the practice, and the <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/22-02-2022-more-than-half-of-parents-and-pregnant-women-exposed-to-aggressive-formula-milk-marketing-who-unicef">World Health Organization</a> stands against the targeted marketing of baby formula. But the United States has not adopted any legal measures to implement the <a href="https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/254911/WHO-NMH-NHD-17.1-eng.pdf">WHO's international code</a> of marketing of breast-milk substitutes.Research <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26701801/">showed</a> that parents who got formula in the mail were less likely to be exclusively breastfeeding by the time the baby was 6 months old, and they were no less likely to have tried breastfeeding.Connor was happy to give away the baby formula that arrived at her home, and St. Jude planned to take her unwanted delivery to a shelter. Meanwhile, parents across the nation <a href="https://www.insider.com/baby-formula-shortage-parents-searching-products-2022-05">are scrambling</a> to find formula to feed their babies. On Wednesday, Karine Jean-Pierre, the incoming White House press secretary, said the formula shortage was "<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2022/05/11/press-gaggle-by-principal-deputy-press-secretary-karine-jean-pierre-en-route-kankakee-il/">a top priority</a>," and that "the White House is working 24/7 to address" the critical need.

Women who don't have babies are getting baby formula in the mail during a formula shortage

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="11899468" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fda" source="Orion">FDA</keyword> in February said two babies died potentially from bacteria linked to infant formula.</li><li>Abbott Nutrition recalled lots of some formulas made in their Sturgis, Michigan, plant.</li></ul>A whistleblower notified the Food and Drug Administration about concerns with a plant that produces infant formula months before two babies died and the products were recalled, according to a newly revealed document.The <a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/fda-investigation-cronobacter-infections-powdered-infant-formula-february-2022">FDA</a> said in February it was investigating reports of bacterial infections related to powdered infant formula made at Abbott Nutrition's plant in Sturgis, Michigan. <a href="https://www.insider.com/more-infant-formula-recalled-after-another-baby-dies-2022-3">Abbott Nutrition recalled</a> select lots of its Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare formulas.The FDA said two deaths had been reported and that a "Cronobacter infection may have contributed to the cause of death for both patients."In mid-October, months before the deaths and recalls, a whistleblower sent the FDA a 34-page document outlining potential concerns with the Sturgis plant, Rep. Rosa DeLauro revealed in a <a href="https://delauro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/icymi-delauro-shares-whistleblower-report-contaminated-infant-formula">statement</a> on Thursday.The document, written by a former plant employee, accused the plant of lax cleaning practices, falsifying records, releasing untested infant formula, and hiding information during an FDA audit in 2019, among other issues."I am deeply concerned about the practices at this Abbott facility and their apparent failure to implement and enforce internal controls at this facility," DeLauro said in the statement, adding: "I am equally concerned that the FDA reacted far too slowly to this report.""Why did the FDA not spring into action?" she said. "Why did it take four months to pull this formula off store shelves? How many infants were fed contaminated formula during this time?"In a statement to Insider, the FDA acknowledged "there have been questions about the timeline related to the Abbott Nutrition infant formula recall.""However, this remains an open investigation with many moving parts. Our top priority is ensuring that any recalled product produced at the Sturgis, Mich. facility has been removed from the market," the statement said. "We are continuing to investigate and will continue to update our consumer alert should additional consumer safety information become available."In a statement provided to Insider, a spokesperson for Abbott Nutrition said the former employee who wrote the document "was dismissed due to serious violations of Abbott's food safety policies.""After dismissal, the former employee, through their attorney, has made evolving, new and escalating allegations to multiple authorities. Abbott is reviewing this new document and will thoroughly investigate any new allegations," the statement said.It also said an investigation conducted by Abbott and the FDA did not identify Cronobacter or Salmonella in any of its products that were tested. "A thorough review of all available data indicates that the infant formula produced at our Sturgis facility is not likely the source of infection in the reported cases and that there was not an outbreak caused by products from the facility," the statement said.The recalls have also contributed to recent <a href="https://www.today.com/parents/parents/everything-need-know-baby-formula-shortage-rcna15613">shortages in infant formulas</a> that have prompted retailers such as CVS, Walgreens, and Target to limit the amount customers are allowed to buy at one time.One mother in Glendale, California, told Insider she has been scrambling to try and find formula for her 11-month-old son, who is sensitive to dairy and relies on Nutramigen, a hypoallergenic formula."It's impossible to find anywhere," Julie Berger said in a phone interview with Insider on Thursday, adding that for babies like hers with a dairy sensitivity, "there's very few formulas that really end up vibing with them."While the formula that works for her son has not been recalled, Alimentum, another hypoallergenic formula, was part of the recall, which could be prompting more mothers to seek out Nutramigen.For the past week or so Berger has been constantly searching stores in person and online in Los Angeles and San Diego, where her parents live, but said it's nearly impossible to find any in stock.She said she's thankful her son is a little older, because now he can eat some solid food and does not rely on formula alone: "If he was any younger we would've been really up shit's creek."Are you a parent struggling to find infant formula? Contact this reporter at <a href="mailto:kvlamis@insider.com?inline-read-more">kvlamis@insider.com</a>.

A whistleblower notified the FDA about concerns with a facility that made infant formula. Months later, 2 babies died after consuming it.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Specialized formulas for babies with allergies are increasingly difficult for parents to find.</li><li>Parents are asking people to leave hypoallergenic formulas on the shelves for those who need them.</li></ul>During the ongoing <a href="https://www.insider.com/baby-formula-shortage-parents-searching-products-2022-05">baby-formula shortage</a> in the US, some parents have been forced to switch their babies to <a href="https://www.insider.com/pediatrician-formula-shortage-coping-tips-2022-5">new brands</a>, whatever brand they can find. Megan Smith, a mom in Maine, wishes she could do that. But her baby has severe soy and dairy allergies and needs medical <keyword id="13903061" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="formula" source="Orion">formula</keyword> to live. The formula, Neocate, is an alternative amino-acid-based formula, and it's in desperately short supply.Smith used to be able to travel to New Hampshire to find the formula, but now, she can't find it there either. She said her local pharmacy has grown frustrated with her daily calls about Neocate's availability, reminding her that there's a <keyword id="13903062" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="formula-shortage" source="Orion">formula shortage</keyword> — as if she could forget. "I don't think anybody understands how severe and serious the problem is. Like, even the pharmacy, I don't think they understand how scared and frustrated we are as parents," Smith said. Smith said she feels lucky in some ways: At almost a year old, her daughter may soon be able to switch to a plant-based milk. But that lucky feeling only goes so far since she's also <a href="https://www.insider.com/first-trimester">11 weeks pregnant</a> and already worried about how she'll feed her next child."If I had known the formula shortage was going on, I would not have got pregnant again," Smith said. She added that this would be her last pregnancy because she didn't want to be scared like this again. <h2>One baby get skin rashes on her face without special formula</h2>In a May 6 <a href="https://www.neocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bulletin-1-May-6-2022.pdf">update</a> to parents posted on its website, Neocate said <a href="https://www.insider.com/more-infant-formula-recalled-after-another-baby-dies-2022-3">the Abbott recall</a> in February resulted in the demand for Neocate tripling. The company said it had been able to "greatly increase Neocate production," but that the increase came too late. "Despite these efforts, unfortunately, the demand for amino-acid-based products is still outpacing supply given the extent of the Abbott Formula recall, so you may find Neocate availability to be limited," the company said. When reached for comment Danone, the company that makes Neocate, told Insider that while they are looking for ways to increase their supply, they expect that "availability will remain tight in the United States until at least August."<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kayzieweedman/">Kayzie Weedman</a>, a mom in Indiana, said she understands Smith's frustrations because she can't give her baby daughter just any formula.Weedman's daughter has a severe cow's-milk allergy and develops painful skin rashes on her face if she drinks regular formulas. Weedman showed what happens to her daughter's face without hypoallergenic formula in a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@momofrory/video/7095886558254894382?is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1">TikTok</a> that now has more than a million views. "We finally got her allergies sorted out, and her face was starting to heal, and then I had no cans left," Weedman said. Because her baby's prescription allergy formulas, Neocate and Similac's Alimentum, are back-ordered, Weedman switched to Target's Up and Up hypoallergenic formula, which is similar to Alimentum and has been slightly easier to track down.With a lot of work and networking, Weedman was able to get about a three-month supply of formula. "Having people to help you look for the formula you need is important," said Weedman, who hopes people avoid hoarding more formula than they need, especially the hypoallergenic varieties. That's also <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sara.mcdermottpiercy?__cft__[0]=AZUfMnfrGVh4Sofne6KQPrRgZWn0bV5MHA8M4kPQT9_3Ox5BVyNPv2vvdZ3U9zZXcWk8VsyVJrEvYmhfYCjooCmSTMS5hbkkCXbh02EFpsBATEqzWD0LWD9Oc3fR7Bm5alU&amp;__tn__=-UC%2CP-R">the message</a> Sara McDermott Piercy is trying to get across. In a Facebook post, she asked fellow parents to leave the dairy-free formulas on the shelves if their baby can drink regular formula. She's glad her youngest, age 7 months, can tolerate traditional formulas because she's been able to feed her whatever she can find, including <a href="https://www.insider.com/people-without-babies-said-they-got-unsolicited-formula-from-brands-2022-5">formula samples</a> from friends who are exclusively breastfeeding. McDermott Piercy said she remembered how stressful it was to feed her middle child — now 6 — who could only tolerate certain hypoallergenic varieties. McDermott Piercy added, "That's why I've been purposefully leaving the hypoallergenic formulas on the shelves so that a mom who desperately needs it can get that one."

The baby-formula shortage has put parents of babies with allergies in crisis mode: 'If I had known the formula shortage was going on, I would not have got pregnant again'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Dr. Victoria Regan said parents should consult a medical professional before switching formulas.</li><li>She said the change might be simpler than parents think.</li></ul>If caring for a new baby isn't stressful enough, many parents across the US are having to deal with even more <a href="https://www.insider.com/baby-formula-shortage-parents-searching-products-2022-05">anxiety</a> because of a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/baby-infant-formula-shortages-got-even-worse-in-april-2022-5">formula shortage</a>.After tracking inventory at more than 11,000 stores, retail analysts at <a href="https://datasembly.com/news/out-of-stock-rate-in-april-2022/">Datasembly</a> found that 40% of the nation's best-selling formula products were out of stock as of the week ending April 24. Ben Reich, the data company's CEO, told "<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/baby-formula-shortage-worse-ration-limit-purchase-walgreens-target-cvs-national-crisis/">CBS MoneyWatch"</a> last week that "this is a shocking number that you don't see for other categories."The deficit has forced parents to scramble to buy enough formula to feed their <keyword id="12011531" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="babies" source="Orion">babies</keyword> since the demand for the product outweighs the supply.<a href="https://memorialhermann.org/doctors/pediatricians/dr-victoria-regan-md-1457392672">Dr. Victoria Regan, </a>a pediatrician at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital in Texas, told Insider that the problem had been caused by supply-chain issues during the pandemic coupled with the recall of three major formula brands earlier this year."COVID-19 was the initial trigger since it didn't allow production to be at 100%," she said, adding that the issue was "exacerbated" by the recall earlier this year of products made by a leading supplier, Abbott <keyword id="11894571" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="health" source="Orion">Health</keyword>.The firm recalled select batches of its Similac, Alimentum, and Elecare formulas after they were linked to bacterial infections in babies. The Food and Drug Administration said that tainted formula "may have contributed to death in two patients."But the doctor believes that concerned parents struggling to locate formula for their children can navigate their way through the <keyword id="12019080" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="shortage" source="Orion">shortage</keyword>."Our first recommendation is to call your baby's healthcare provider, usually their pediatrician, to find out which formulas may work for your baby that are more readily available," Regan said, adding that some doctors' offices offer free samples that infants can try.<div type="image" title="Parenting influencer Kristin Davis took this picture of empty shelves of baby formula at a Target in Brooklyn." height="480" width="640" msid="91474930" hostid="261"></div><h2>Parents can switch their babies' formula</h2>Regan said that switching to an equivalent brand of formula might not be quite as challenging as parents think."Babies can sometimes be a bit picky when you change the formula but, usually, if you give it a few days, they get used to the taste," Regan said.The transition can be more complex for babies with special dietary needs, she said. "In those cases, you really do need to contact your healthcare provider before you try anything different," Regan said.The doctor sounded a note of caution for parents looking overseas to purchase formulas made in other countries. She said that certain brands being shipped to the US from Europe have become popular.These formulas are not reviewed by the FDA — a safety requirement for all <keyword id="11956953" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="baby-formula" source="Orion">baby formula</keyword> sold in America — and run the risk of possible contamination."The problem at this stage is that we're not always 100% sure where they're being imported from and whether they're manufactured at a plant that is secure," Regan said.<h2>Never water down formula to make it last longer</h2>Similarly, the doctor warned against parents attempting to make their own formula by following recipes on the internet or watering down the supply they already have in order to make it last longer, because "the baby is not getting the right nutrients," Regan said.In some cases, the consequences can be serious. "You can cause the baby to have a seizure because they're not getting the vitamins they need to be normal," she said.The temptation to replace hard-won formula with cow or goat milk or nut milks should also be resisted before the baby reaches the age of 1."They should really not be drinking any kind of nonhuman milk," Regan explained. "If they're not getting milk from either mom or a reputable breast-milk supplier, the essential nutrients are lacking, affecting both physical and neurodevelopment."<div type="image" title="A sign attached to nearly bare shelves at drugstore chain CVS says customers are limited to three containers at a time." height="2274" width="3024" msid="91474931" hostid="261"></div>Some parents have been tempted to hoard formula if they happen to come across a large supply in a store, but Regan advised them to hold back. "We need to ensure that all our babies get the proper nutrition they need."<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/target-walgreens-kroger-cvs-limiting-baby-formula-purchases-2022-4">Big chains</a> like Walgreens, CVS, and Target took steps to address hoarding last month. The drugstores are limiting purchases of formula to three products at a time; Target is allowing three to four formula products to be purchased in stores and online per transaction.As for the future, Regan is cautiously optimistic that an end to the shortage is in sight. It might take "a few months," she said. "But as long as the supply-chain issues are resolved, availability should be back to full effect."

Pediatrician shares tips for parents affected by the formula shortage — including never to make your own formula at home or water down formula to last longer

You Searched For "similac" and got 4 results

Women who don't have babies are getting baby formula in the mail during a formula shortage

Heather Marcoux

A whistleblower notified the FDA about concerns with a facility that made infant formula. Months later, 2 babies died after consuming it.

Kelsey Vlamis

The baby-formula shortage has put parents of babies with allergies in crisis mode: 'If I had known the formula shortage was going on, I would not have got pregnant again'

Heather Marcoux

Pediatrician shares tips for parents affected by the formula shortage — including never to make your own formula at home or water down formula to last longer

Jane Ridley