Moms Hesitate to Stop Breastfeeding Amid Baby Formula Shortage

Moms who are supposed to slowly get off breastfeeding are now hesitating to stop because of the ongoing baby formula shortage.

Dr. Jenny Thomas from Wisconsin said that mothers in their state generally start off breastfeeding and then decide to stop when they have to get back to work after their maternal leave. However, because of the current supply problems, many mothers feel the urgency to continue with how they feed their babies.

Speaking with CBS 58, the pediatrician said that she is seeing more moms who are running busy schedules but cannot make the switch to formula. In a way, this has been inspiring other mothers to also reconsider their options and maybe delay their plans to stop breastfeeding.

Thomas also said that the baby formula shortage is highlighting the importance of giving support to breastfeeding moms, especially in the workplace. They can continue pumping breastmilk at work if they have a private and ideal location in the office.

She also said that moms who have recently stopped may still regain their milk supply if they speak with a doctor or lactation expert. However, ultimately, it's still the mother's decision whether to continue or to stop.

Shaming Non-Breastfeeding Moms

On the flip side, the baby formula shortage is also highlighting the problems of non-breastfeeding moms. Dr. Rebekah Diamond said via NBC News that the stigma against using formula milk has further divided the country amid a supply shortage emergency.

Diamond pointed out that some mothers cannot breastfeed because they are not the biological mom and thus cannot produce milk. Even then, there are other biological mothers who cannot safely provide breastmilk for their babies due to various conditions, such as low milk supply, a medical condition, difficulty in breastfeeding, and the mother's own postpartum needs.

"Too many moms equate using formula with failure," Diamond said. "The stigma against formula is so deep-seated."

The pediatrician reiterated that society must keep promoting breastfeeding to support infant health and nutrition. However, people should get it out of their mindset that formula feeding is "the enemy of breastfeeding" because that's far from the truth.

Dangers of Homemade Infant Formula

Meanwhile, Dr. Tanya Altman, a pediatrician in California, cautioned parents not to make their alternative baby formula. Some mothers are turning to online communities for recipes because they can't source milk supplies anymore.

Altman said via CNN that it takes years of research to come up with healthy formula milk that will provide the right nutritional needs for the baby. These formulas must also be balanced for the baby's development and health thus it will be very hard to duplicate formula milk in the kitchen.

Homemade infant formula may lead to sickness or bacterial contamination. If the options are hard to obtain, it's best to talk to the pediatrician for other alternatives and suggestions before making any changes to the baby's milk supply.