Sask. mom says inconsistent formula supply adding to babies' health challenges

A Regina woman says a constantly-changing supply of infant formula brands in Saskatchewan is adding to health challenges affecting her three babies. 

Kieran Gibson is the mother of 20-month-old twin boys and a nine-month-old girl.

She said her struggles with finding formula began when the boys were born premature at 34 weeks and put on feeding tubes in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

"We didn't really get the chance to start off with breastfeeding and nursing. They just went straight to formula and had multiple stomach issues," Gibson said. 

The 21-year-old said they tried "every brand" of formula to find one that worked; however, the twins' sensitive digestion often meant solutions were temporary. 

Compounding the matter, she said, was the limited options available in Saskatchewan stores due to a widespread shortage of infant formula. 

"We feel like we're going four steps forward, but then we're actually going 10 steps back because once they get used to it, and we can find it, it's gone," she said. 

The North American shortage of specialty infant formulas — needed by babies with allergies and certain medical conditions — has persisted since a peak in spring, with manufacturing closures and product recalls worsening supply chain issues. 

In an online update on Oct. 28, the Saskatchewan government stated regular infant formula continues to be available on shelves during the shortage, though "individual products may sometimes be out of stock." 

Gibson said the consequences of switching to what's available on any given day recently came to a scary point for her youngest, Amaralee. 

9-month-old taken to hospital

All three of Gibson's children are diagnosed with failure to thrive, meaning their rate of growth being significantly below that of other children the same age and sex.

Because of that, Gibson said, Amaralee requires extra calories from formula. They found a kind that was "working great" until it was seemingly no longer available, so they tried an alternative. 

"She ended up turning blue, choking," Gibson said. "She just kept puking up everything that she would eat with it. So we had to go to [the emergency department], which ended up telling us that her stomach acids and the formula don't mix properly so it gets stuck." 

While Gibson said they have found another type of formula that works for Amaralee, that product is now also out of stock. 

"I can't find it anywhere, so now we have to find another alternative for when we can't find that one," she said. 

"We're on quite a bit of medications helping her through this and getting her to be able to stomach more formula and stuff." 

'Doing everything we can to help'

Concerns over the inconsistent formula supply are widespread, according to Robyn Price, a registered dietitian and certified breastfeeding specialist.

"It's being felt by all parents across the spectrum," she said. 

"They've lost a lot of trust in the system to be able to ensure that their baby is fed. Each time they're going to get formula, they're keeping their fingers crossed that it's going to be there."

Price, who's based in Moose Jaw, Sask., works remotely for Food to Fit in Saskatoon. She consults with pediatric and prenatal clients who are living through the formula shortage. 

"It's an unfortunate reality that the burden of this systemic issue has fallen on parents shoulders," Price said. 

"We're doing everything we can to help them find something that's at least tolerated in the short term. Whether it's finding a different brand that has you know, a similar protein type."

Price said that includes connecting parents who may have stock of certain formula that didn't work for them, but does for someone else. 

"If they can't find it, then we need to do those kind of nonconventional methods to get it in their hands because their baby needs to be fed," she said. 

Price added that parents she works with have simply adapted to the current situation, but that a permanent solution is only possible with a stable supply chain. 

"We're still working through it, for sure," she said. "Until they figure out that supply issue and solve that, get strategies and policies in place to fix that problem, we might still be feeling it."

Her general advice for parents navigating the shortage is to reach out for support in whatever means they can. 

"It doesn't have to be solely you looking at, 'How can I get the safest milk possible for my baby?'" she said.

"It's finding that support, whether it's just the one health-care provider, the person in your community, a lactation consultant — just somebody to be able to help you, so that it's not just all on you."

Everett Hindley, Saskatchewan's minister responsible for rural and remote health, ackowledged the formula shortage at the provincial legislature on Dec. 1. 

He said the Ministry of Health and Saskatchewan Health Authority have been in contact Health Canada and manufacturers to "monitor the supply" of specialty infant formula to try to make sure it arrives in Saskatchewan as more becomes available.

Hindley did not speak specifically to concerns about regular infant formula.