Louisville nonprofits stepping up to help families struggling amid baby formula shortage

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- As the baby formula shortage across the U.S. gets worse, some Louisville nonprofits are stepping up to help.

The Milk Bank has created a "Donor Milk Express" program, which gives families pasteurized donor milk. It has locations in Louisville, with Zora's Cradle on Dixie Highway and Baby Eyes Lactation in Prospect.

Zora's Cradle opened a breast milk depot last year in partnership with The Milk Bank.

The Milk Bank partnered with the Kentucky Blood Center last year to put Milk Depot locations in four Kentucky Blood Center locations, including two in Louisville — the Hillview Donor Center on Antle Drive and the Middletown Donor Center on Shelbyville Road.

Wednesday, The Milk Bank shared some tips for families struggling amid the formula shortage. They suggest using donor milk, asking a pediatrician about switching to a different formula type or brand, and to be aware of the risks that can come with informal milk sharing.

For more information about The Milk Bank, click here.

Meanwhile, formula manufacturer Abbott is hoping to reopen its Michigan plant to help with production. Once it gets approval from the FDA, it could restart the facility within two weeks.

However, the manufacturer said it could be another six to eight weeks after reopening until parents will see formula back on store shelves.

The plant was shut down after a formula recall in February. Abbott said there's no evidence linking its products made at the Michigan facility to infant illness and deaths.

While it waits for FDA approval to reopen, Abbott is flying in products from Europe and other formula makers are ramping up production.

"That's not as easy as it sounds. You can't simply turn it up to 11, so to speak, and produce more formula," Peter Pitts, former FDA associate commissioner, said. "These are very precise manufacturing mechanisms. Secondly, we have to make sure that if the Abbott products can come back on the market, that they are safe and effective."

Data shows eight states, plus Washington D.C., have half the formula supply they normally would. The nationwide "out of stock rate" is 43%.

The shortage has caused major retailers such as Target, Walmart, Walgreens and CVS to limit their purchases, forcing customers to make multiple trips to the quickly emptying shelves.

Doctors said parents having trouble finding their baby's formula can transition to one formula to another after consulting their pediatrician, or use a ready-made formula. They also stressed that parents should never try to extend the use of the formula they have, and to continue following the recipe on the formula's label.

"It's usually 2 ounces to one scoop of the powder," Dr. Heather Felton, with Norton Children's Medical Group Pediatrics told WDRB News earlier this month. "You want to stick to that ratio because, if you add extra water to it trying to stretch it out, it decreases the nutritional value of the formula and it could make the baby sick."

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