PITTSBURGH — During the coronavirus crisis, it can be hard for new parents to find baby formula.
Channel 11′s Jennifer Tomazic got an email from her son’s pediatrician saying access to formula right now is “problematic,” but there are resources out there for parents.
“The mom community in Pittsburgh is awesome,” Karen Taylor, a mom of a 7-month-old and 2-year-old, said. “We’re kind of all in this together. It’s uncharted territories right now and we’re all kind of dealing with this.”
In this Facebook group, local women like Taylor are offering formula to one another. She has extra formula at home that her son can’t use so she’s willing to share. At the same time, she had a hard time finding the kind her son can use.
“We went to Sam’s Club and they were completely sold out. We actually ended up having to go about 20 miles to another Sam’s that only had like three and we ended up buying two, which is what we usually do,” she said.
That’s what Dr. Michael Petrosky, of AHN Pediatrics Wexford, recommends so that everyone can get what they need.
“If you go where you normally go to find formula, you might not find it there,” he said. “What we’re seeing is there is not a national shortage, so you might have to go look somewhere else. If you can’t find your brand or type, we always recommend calling your pediatrician. There are other equivalent options around there. If you need some guidance, that’s what we’re here for.”
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Petrosky suggests checking baby formula manufacturers’ websites to buy directly from them.
What parents should not do is add more water to the formula to make it last longer, because babies won’t get all the nutrients they need.
Parents should also not give a child under 1 year old any cow’s milk because their digestive system isn’t ready for it yet.
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