Though it may have fallen out of the headlines, the formula shortage of 2022 is still a very real thing. Though the situation isnāt as dire as it was a few months ago, weāre still in the middle of it. Navigating how to feed a child whose only option for nourishment is formula can be a stress-inducing, nerve-wracking prospect.
Many parents are still frustrated ā and frankly scared ā after months of uncertainty. Thankfully, some people have been lending their expertise to assist parents who may find themselves in this predicament.
When she was a new mom trying to feed her daughter, this mom struggled to find judgment-free resources on formula feeding.
Mallory Whitmore, who goes by the name āThe Formula Momā on Instagram, is an infant feeding tech and mother of two. Like many mothers, she had plans to breastfeed her children. But things didnāt pan out.
"I was desperate for information about how to formula feed safely and successfully,ā Whitmore told Good Morning America. āI couldn't find any information that felt supportive, judgment free and research based."
Whitmore began providing the resources she had hoped to find when she was a new mom.
Whitmore wants to promote the message that parents donāt have to have a reason to choose formula over breastfeeding.
And now, in the middle of the ongoing formula shortage, which resulted in nearly half of all baby formula being out of stock in spring 2022, Whitmore uses her platform to help ease some of the concerns āformula familiesā may have.
Many parents are wasting more formula than they realize.
"It's really been incredibly difficult, both logistically and also mentally and emotionally taxing for new parents who are already exhausted,ā Whitmore said.
Whitmoreās tips include tapping family members and friends to be on the search for formula and preparing formula in certain ways to ensure that youāre not wasting any of this precious resource. Many parents are unknowingly over-scooping.
She also suggests implementing a 'top-off' bottle.
Whitmore recommends batching, using a formula mixing pitcher. The pitcher can last in the fridge for 24 hours.
āThis allows parents to pour exactly what they need for each individual feeding instead of making a big bottle and then throwing away whatever they don't need,ā Whitmore explains. She also suggests using a food scale so you donāt add too much formula to the bottle.
She also uses a top-off bottle. At the beginning of the day, she prepares a full bottle, so if the baby needs an additional half ounce or so after a full bottle, she can pour from the top-off bottle instead of making an entirely new one.
While these tips and tricks may seem like small potatoes, at this point, many moms likely agree that every little bit makes a difference.
