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Mom Squad: Options for families desperate for formula

Millions of babies are facing a feeding crisis. Formula is making its way to store shelves. For families looking for options, milk alternatives can be dangerous.

CLEVELAND — As baby formula shipments come in from Europe. There are still millions of families concerned over how they are going to feed their babies. The formula crisis also has parents asking a lot of questions about when they can start their babies on milk.

In today's Mom Squad, Maureen Kyle talks to Dr. Kim Giuliano with the Cleveland Clinic about why milk and milk alternatives don't have the same nutritional balance and can be dangerous.

“It can set up babies for malnutrition, electrolyte disturbances, and if you get those electrolyte disturbances, you can get really severe health outcomes: fussiness, irritability, comas - potentially even death,” says Giuliano.

Despite the risks, pediatricians realize that some families are desperate. And Giuliano says there are some options for babies of a certain age.

“All of that being said, in today's day and age with this crisis going on. We recommend if a baby is over 6 months of age, and moms have no other alternatives, can not access formula, it is ok to give cows milk or soy milk for a brief period of time. Until hopefully this crisis comes to an end.”

If you want to hear the entire conversation about what parents can do or the risks certain options pose, you can download the Mom Squad Pod anywhere you get your podcasts.

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