We all have heard of the baby formula shortage by now…   some say it is intentional, others say it is just happenstance. I don’t know for sure which it is and don’t really care. The important part is that there is a shortage. BTW Breast feeding is best as it helps pass on Mom’s immunities and is always ready for the baby.

Home made baby formula from the 50-60s

13 oz [give or take an oz – so 12-14 oz]  evaporated WHOLE milk – depends on the size of can you get.—you can also use powdered milk and follow the directions on that product.

20 oz water [distilled is best IF you have it] in hot weather some use the home made re-hydration formula it is kinda like pedialyte or Gatorade] at http://www.preparesurvivethrive.us/re-hydration-drink/ posted below

2 level tablespoons [or 1 oz] of Karo syrup for the carbohydrates AND the Karo syrup was added because evaporated milk would cause constipation without it. The amount of syrup was adjusted according to the contents of the baby’s diaper.

Heat to 160 F then pour into 6-8 bottles and refrigerate until needed.

Feed every 3-4 hours or on demand.

My wife and I used to be in the industrial baby business [she did NICU and I dealt with the mommies OB] For the ones that planned on formula and for the ones who wanted/needed formula back up, We taught similar to this recipe and IF the baby needed extra calories we would add Olive oil up to a Tbsp [15 cc] per bottle. The kids seemed to do at least as well on this as the ‘regular store bought formulas – YMMV and when in doubt, discuss it with YOUR healthcare provider as this is meant only to spark discussion and learning.

This is about the best all-around recipe for Re-Hydration drink—- this replaces Pedialyte and Gatorade / sports drinks, a lot cheaper too.
Mix as follows and you can pre-mix into unit dose packets for use while you are on the move.

In a 1 L container mix the following
1/2 teaspoon salt substitute �KCl aka �NU-salt�
1 pinch Epson salt MaSo4–  optional add ½ tsp Himalayan salt
2 tablespoon sugar [omit to use in Jell-O, formula or instant potatoes]
Kool-aid to taste    [omit to use in Jell-O, formula or instant potatoes]
Chill and serve —

BTW, Kool-aid comes in a colorless version too for when the person is vomiting. .

It is always better to prevent de-hydration by drinking water. How much should you drink a day? It is NOT the oft repeated 8, 8 ounce glasses.  For the basic amount take your weight in pounds and divide by 2 = the number of ounces you should drink a day. This amount assumes that you are sitting at a desk. The best way to know that you are drinking enough is to check your urine. Normal healthy urine is clear to straw color with no odor. In babies we like to see 8-12 wet diapers a day. Most adults should do the same � ahhh EXCEPT hopefully without the need for diapers.

Are there other recipes? Yup, just like IVs you can mix this to replace electrolytes that lab work shows are missing.