STALLINGS, N.C. — Parents of newborns and babies are feeling the strain and struggle amid an ongoing shortage of baby formula.
Some parents, scrambling to find other alternatives, are turning to certified location consultants like Rachael Anastasio Collins comes in. Collins teaches parents how to breastfeed and prologue their milk production.
“I think we think and hear a lot that it’s free and easy and that’s not the case for some people," Collins said.
She said she has taught others how to breastfeed again.
“It’s possible but it’s not super fast," she said.
Since the shortage, her client base has grown.
"There’s been a lot more people that are pregnant who are seeking out info," Collins said. "People are looking for info ahead of time. Strategies that they can have. I think a lot of parents are desperate and are trying to figure out how to increase those supplies.”
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The shortage also has parents turning toward donor milk. However, the only accredited donor milk bank in North Carolina is over 160 miles away from Charlotte in the Triangle.
Wake Med, which has partner locations in Cary, Chapel Hill, Cary, Raleigh, Clayton, and Apex, allows families to access the milk using a prescription.
“Most milk banks are giving milk to high medical needs and you need prescriptions, which makes it completely unavailable to families," Collins explained.
Wake Med also has locations for donors to drop off milk in the Triangle.
Even as an expert, Collins experienced troubles.
“My last child was very difficult to breastfeed," Collins said.
She encouraged parents to reach out to medical professionals, or certified milk banks, for help.
Using milk from unauthorized milk donors without proper health screenings can be potentially risky, according to the CDC.
- Consult a healthcare provider first
- Consider the possible safety risks
- FDA recommends against feeding your baby breast milk acquired directly from individuals or through the Internet
- FDA recommends that if, after consultation with a healthcare provider, you decide to feed a baby with human milk from a source other than the baby’s mother, you should only use milk from a source that has screened its milk donors and taken other precautions to ensure the safety of its milk.
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.