More women are trying to breastfeed amid formula shortage, SEIRMC lactation consultant says
WEST BURLINGTON — Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center has seen an increase in the number of women looking to start producing breastmilk again to feed their infants amid the nationwide formula shortage.
According to Lynette Bruhl, a certified lactation counselor with SEIRMC, the hospital has seen an uptick in the number of women both interested in breastfeeding for their new baby and also re-establishing breastfeeding after they were already finished.
“I think a lot of women are trying to breastfeed that normally wouldn’t,” Bruhl said.
Breastfeeding can be complicated, she said. On the one hand, it’s a skill that is learned. It is not something that will automatically work perfectly the first time. But there are also a number of medical conditions and life circumstances that Bruhl said make breastfeeding complicated.
Bruhl said women often stop breastfeeding not long after they leave the hospital, with discontinuation in the first two weeks of life being linked to the mother and baby having difficulty in the first two days. Because mother and baby are often in the hospital for the first two days, there is an opportunity for mothers to get help while they are still in the hospital that will translate to future success.
But even when mothers have left with their baby, they should not feel alone as Bruhl said that SEIRMC does have options for women who need extra support.
“It’s frustrating and hard sometimes, especially if your baby isn’t latching and your milk isn’t coming in like they expected,” she said.
One of the things the hospital can do is check to see how well the baby is latching. If the baby is having a hard time latching, there are things that can be done to help this problem. Another important thing the hospital can do is to check to see how much milk the baby is actually able to receive through sucking.
With the recent concerns, there are many mothers who had stopped breastfeeding but are interested in starting again. Bruhl said it's not too late for mothers who no longer are producing to be able to start producing breast milk again, with some mothers trying to restart their milk production after months of not breastfeeding.
“It's a huge commitment, it takes a lot of work,” she said. “It takes a lot of commitment because you have to pump a lot.”
She said it is a process, but many mothers can have great success.
Bruhl said that mothers who breastfeed can see continued results for up to a year, the age at which it is recommended children can start drinking cow's milk.
Why breastmilk and formula are not the same as cow’s milk
As supposed formula recipes circulate the internet while parents are struggling to find formula on the shelves, Bruhl said there is a concern that infants can suffer because of what all these recipes lack. Formula has been designed over a number of years to have characteristics that mimic breastmilk.
While it is true that much of the commercial formula available today is based in cow's milk, but Bruhl said it does not make it the equivalent of milk. Rather, formula has been specifically designed for what an infant needs.
“Little baby bodies aren’t able to break down dairy and dairy substitutes in the same way that adult bodies are,” Bruhl said.
Because infants receive all of their nutrition from one source, that one source must be fortified with all of the nutrients that are needed and in the amounts that the infants need. The lack of proper nutrients is a problem that would be encountered when dealing with anything other than Food and Drug Administration-approved baby formula or breastmilk.
Donor milk a good — but expensive — option
According to Bruhl, the consensus is that breastmilk should not be shared. Breastmilk is highly personal for the infant for whom it was produced and there are also a number of sanitary concerns that go along with sharing breastmilk.
In the case of women who donate their breast milk, those women have gone through a rigorous screening process and follow strict sterile protocols. Women also are screened for diet and medication, two very important factors when it comes to breastmilk. Purchasing breastmilk can be an expensive option, with pasteurized breastmilk costing as much as $5 per ounce.
SEIRMC is a collection depot for Mother's Milk Bank of Iowa, an accredited member milk bank of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, which is a professional association for supporters of non-profit donor human milk banking. That milk is available to new mothers at the hospital. It also can be purchased for as much as $5 per ounce.
Des Moines County Public Health Administrator Christa Poggemiller told The Hawk Eye the FDA recommends that if parents cannot find the formula they usually use that they can use a different brand of the same kind. She also recommended that parents discuss any planned changes with their child's doctor.
This article originally appeared on The Hawk Eye: Some Iowa mothers restart breastfeeding amid formula shortage
