LEHI, Utah — Some Utah moms are scrambling as a baby formula recall is expanding, leaving many shelves empty and no clues as to when it will be restocked.
Jody Evans said her seventh child, Daniel, recently switched to formula. She tried breastfeeding her son, but he wasn’t keeping the milk down.
‘He wasn’t gaining weight, he was really tiny, and he was getting really bad blisters, and so we started using this, it’s the Similac Alimentum,” said Evans.
In the first two weeks using the formula, Daniel gained two pounds.
“Immediately got out of newborn clothes and started to fill out,” said Evans.
Then Evans learned about the massive recall and found out she had given her son some formula from a recalled batch.
“Every can I had, I had to throw out. I definitely panicked, I was wondering if I had given him something really bad, and now he’s going to get sick," worried Evans. "I questioned should I have stopped breast feeding? Why did I do this, now I have to rely on someone else to give my baby food.”
The recall follows reports of five babies falling ill, four with Cronobacter infections and one with Salmonella, with two of the babies dying.
“I just feel so bad for those moms who were affected by it, I just couldn’t imagine,” said Evans.
Baby aisles at the store are empty of this powdered formula, and instead filled with flyers alerting parents aware of the recall.
After searching stores and calling pediatricians, Evans turned to social media for help.
“So, I just thought, 'Okay, what groups have a ton of moms and maybe they’re not using the formula in their pantry?'” asked Evans.
She said she’s linked up with two mothers, including one in St. George who she’ll soon be meeting up.
“[Daniel] was the first I did formula for, and then it was just kind of scary to all of a sudden not have any breast milk available, and this is the formula that keeps him happy, and it was gone,” said Evans.
Jody said she got a few emergency cans from her pediatrician, only to find out one of the cans is also a part of the recall. She urges all moms to check the cans thoroughly, even if it’s from a doctor’s office.
While the liquid formula is still on shelves, it’s much most costly, running about $12 per day, whereas the powdered formula is much cheaper.
The FDA is advising parents not to use Similac, Alimentum, or Elecare powdered infant formulas if the first two digits of the code are 22 through 37. Also, if the code on the container contains K8, SH or Z2 and if the expiration date is April 2022 or later.
