Baby formula shortage worsens as national out-of-stock rate hits 43% | Hacker News Reader

Baby formula shortage worsens as national out-of-stock rate hits 43%

arstechnica.com

21 pointsjbonniwell11 comments

My family is dealing with the stress the shortage is causing. It really feels like a spiral. As soon as a palette hits Costco people flock to buy it all up. Unlike giant packs of toilet paper though, formula doesn’t last as long. It makes it feel like buying your limit of 2 just means you need to start looking again. I feel sorry for families that need specific types of formula or have twin babies. It’s a rough time.

Ugh I feel for you, It’s a shitty situation to be in. We had a baby 2 weeks before the first lockdown here in NZ and there were a few weeks where it was bloody hard to find.

Isn't baby formula vestige of the marketing era of "breastfeeding is harmful to kids"?

Why is baby formula use still so widespread? I understand that some women have twins and triplets, some others have health issues... but the use seems way too widespread than that.

I hope this helps a lot of parents who don't need it realize that they don't... and hope some of those who do need it can switch over to cow's milk.

If you don’t start nursing from the beginning, then your milk dries up. You can’t change your mind later.

Cow’s milk is not an adequate substitute for formula for an infant, but older children could switch.

In addition to the other reasons mentioned by TrispusAttucks, I can tell you that breastfeeding is both very time-consuming and painful (because of plugged ducts). So I can understand why women opt out, especially if they have to work or have other issues.

Some woman can not produce. Some woman can not produce enough. Some babies have digestive issues that require specific types of formula. Some woman have to go to work to make money to pay rent and can't conveniently feed or pump.

My wife tried breastfeeding for both our kids, even with the pump and trying very hard, she was unable to provide enough milk.

She took it hard (it's an awful feeling, to not feel "adequate"), but we had no choice to go with formula.

Other than the issues already stated here - the other largest answer in my opinion and limited experience is the dual income household and limited maternity leave.

I can't imagine trying to pump and hold down a full time job as well as all the other parental duties. Some can certainly pull it off, but with what appears like heroics to me from afar.

Curious. Why are there such strong recommendations against making your own baby formula? Neither the list of ingredients nor the preparation seem complicated, but it seems to be nearly universally strongly recommended that parents do not do this. Why?

I was very tempted to throw all that advice back in people's faces and work on a DIY formula, when my boys were infants. Formula was expensive and we were poor.

But my wife said no. NO. Very firmly.

Okay but why?

Everything is on fire. This is only the beginning. Please prepare.

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