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The Doctors want to make sure parents know about the alarming alert the FDA issued regarding homemade baby formula warning it could be "life-threatening" to your child.
The warning comes after the rise in popularity of DIY baby formula, which some new parents are turning to. Despite online claims, these homemade formulas can lead to nutritional imbalances and food-borne illnesses.
"The FDA is advising parents and caregivers to not make or feed homemade infant formula to infants. Parents or caregivers of infants who have consumed a homemade infant formula should contact their healthcare provider and report any symptoms to their local Health Department.," the agency warns.
The Food and Drug Administration stresses that DIY baby formulas can lead to severe consequences, stating, "The FDA does not recommend that parents and caregivers make infant formulas at home because of serious health and safety concerns. The potential problems with homemade formulas include contamination and absence of or inadequate amounts of critical nutrients. These problems are very serious, and the consequences range from severe nutritional imbalances to foodborne illnesses, both of which can be life-threatening. Because of these severe health concerns, the FDA strongly advises parents and caregivers not to make and feed their infants homemade infant formulas."
OB/GYN Dr. Jackie Walters explains the proper recipe for formula has been studied and determined by the FDA and if a baby consumes a DIY version, it can lead to hypocalcemia (low calcium levels), along with possible infections or lead to the ingesting of foods that could be difficult for a baby to digest.
The Doctors note some homemade formula recipes use raw or unpasteurized milk, something a baby should never have because it can lead to illness and is not something their digestive systems can break down.
Dr. Jackie stresses, "Talk to your pediatrician... a baby is so precious, we do not want to jeopardize their health."
Additional resources and information on baby formula from the FDA can be found here.
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