Infant Feeding Practices and Parental Perceptions during the 2022 United States Infant Formula Shortage Crisis

Abstract

Background In May of 2022, parents living in the United States experienced a dramatic infant formula shortage caused by supply chain issues and the recent recall of several infant formula products over contamination concerns. Methods An anonymous, electronic, cross-sectional survey was designed to understand infant feeding practices, parental experience and perceived support during the crisis. Results Ninety-nine parents that lived in the U.S. and fulfilled study criteria completed the survey. Sixty-six percent of respondents were female, and 75% of respondents were recipients of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infant Children (WIC). Parental mean age was 30.0 years and the mean infant age was 26.8 weeks. In response to the infant formula shortage crisis, parents changed their infant feeding practices, of which several were unsafe. Seventy-nine percent of parents fed their infants U.S. infant formula brands and 39% of parents fed their infants imported infant formula brands before the shortage which were significantly reduced during the shortage to 27% (p < 0.005) and 11% (p < 0.005), respectively. The percentage of parents that reported infant feeding practices before and during the infant formula shortage significantly increased from 2–28% for donor milk use (p < 0.005); 5–26% for use of breast milk from community sharing (p < 0.005); and 2–29% for use of watered-down infant formula (p < 0.005). The resources that parents reported as most helpful in navigating the crisis differed by parental sex and WIC recipient status and included other parents, friends, and family; lactation consultants; healthcare providers; and WIC. Conclusions Our study found that feeding practices in response to the infant formula shortage may pose health risks to infants. These data suggest the need for policy changes within regulatory and the healthcare system to provide families with clinical prenatal and postnatal lactation support, access to donor milk, and access to more commercially-available products.

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Global lessons for strengthening breastfeeding as a key pillar of food security

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