'Remain calm': Baby formula shortage impacting Canadians
A recall of baby formula, compounded by supply chain issues, is causing concern for families in Canada as well as in the United States, where the the effects are being felt even more sharply.
“My first piece of advice is to remain calm,” says lactation consultant Michelle Pensa Branco of SafelyFed Canada.
The shortage has affected major Canadian retailers.
In a statement, Walmart Canada said the ongoing global challenges with baby formula supply has "persisted for a number of years."
"Despite these challenges, we continue to work closely with our suppliers to secure a strong supply of baby formula across multiple brands and formats (concentrates, powder and ready-to-feed), to make available for sale both in-store and online”.
Loblaw is also experiencing shortages from one major U.S. manufacturer, but says it has supplies from other vendors.
Branco says the shortage is difficult for those in rural areas, who often drive hundreds of kilometres for their groceries and don’t have the options city-dwellers have.
She is also concerned about children with medical conditions such as dairy allergies.
“A good number of parents using these products don’t have a diagnosis of dairy allergy,“ she said, adding these parents are simply using them because of advice from friends or out of an overabundance of caution.
She says switching brands of formula is rarely a problem for babies because the contents of most formulas is very similar and easy to digest.
Other alternatives include breastfeeding more, using donor milk and increasing solid food intake for older babies.
That way, she says, supplies of baby formula will be more secure for babies that truly have particular medical reasons for a special diet.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Inside Canada's chaotic response to avian flu
A CFIA official is calling it the 'largest animal health emergency that this country has ever had to face.' A joint IJF/CTV News investigation looks into Canada's response to the bird flu pandemic, and how it's ravaged the country's farms.
What Donald Trump's election victory could mean for Canada
Following president-elect Donald Trump's decisive election victory, there are sure to be significant knock-on effects for Canada. Here's a look at the different areas in which a second Trump presidency may affect Canadians.
Cuba left reeling after Category 3 hurricane ravages island and knocks out power grid
Cuba was left reeling Thursday after a fierce Category 3 hurricane ripped across the island and knocked out the country's power grid.
Sleepy during the day? You may be at higher risk for a pre-dementia syndrome, study finds
If you find yourself sleepy during your daily activities in your older age, you may need to consider it more than an inconvenience — since the fatigue may indicate you’re at higher risk for developing a condition that can lead to dementia, a new study has found.
Canada's health-care spending expected to outpace economy in 2024: CIHI
The Canadian Institute for Health Information says health-care spending in Canada is projected to reach a new high in 2024.
Kamala Harris concedes: Here's what she said in her speech
Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris conceded the U.S. election to Republican Donald Trump Wednesday afternoon, telling her supporters that her 'heart is full.'
Influencer is banned from future NYC marathons for bringing a camera crew to last weekend's race
A social media influencer from Texas was disqualified from last weekend's New York City Marathon and banned from future competitions after he ran the race with a camera crew on e-bikes in tow.
Newfoundland hockey player suspended, banned from local arena after off-ice fight with fan
A combination of a thrown stick and thrown punches have given a senior hockey player in Newfoundland a three-game suspension and an indefinite ban from one of his league's six arenas.
B.C. court allows police to apply to dispose of evidence from Robert Pickton's farm
The B.C. Supreme Court says it has jurisdiction to order the disposal of thousands of pieces of evidence seized from Robert Pickton's pig farm decades ago, whether it was used in his murder trial or not.