Office of Medical Communications

Michelle Shepard, M.D., Ph.D., FAAP

(MAY 9, 2022) In an NECN-TV news story titled “‘Bone-Deep Anxiety’ for Vt. Mom as Baby Formula Shortage Drags On,” Michelle Shepard, M.D., Ph.D., FAAP, assistant professor of pediatrics, said she and her colleagues have received many calls from extremely stressed parents. The shortage was blamed primarily on the shutdown of a baby formula plant in Michigan, exacerbated by supply chain issues and recalls during a federal investigation into whether certain products were possibly contaminated with harmful bacteria. Shepard cautioned parents not to switch to cow’s milk or alternative milks like almond or hemp because they don’t have enough protein or other nutrients babies need. She also emphasized that parents should absolutely not water down the formula they do have.

Michelle Shepard, M.D., Ph.D., FAAP

(MAY 9, 2022) In an NECN-TV news story titled “‘Bone-Deep Anxiety’ for Vt. Mom as Baby Formula Shortage Drags On,” Michelle Shepard, M.D., Ph.D., FAAP, assistant professor of pediatrics, said she and her colleagues have received many calls from extremely stressed parents. The shortage was blamed primarily on the shutdown of a baby formula plant in Michigan, exacerbated by supply chain issues and recalls during a federal investigation into whether certain products were possibly contaminated with harmful bacteria. Shepard cautioned parents not to switch to cow’s milk or alternative milks like almond or hemp because they don’t have enough protein or other nutrients babies need. She also emphasized that parents should absolutely not water down the formula they do have.