Formula Mixing Knowledge of Pediatric Residents at a Quaternary Care Center

Abstract

Pediatric residents receive a paucity of training in regards to best practices for formula mixing and storage leading to decreased comfort and discussion regarding formula at well-child checks. 18% of infants are never offered breast milk and over half of infants are receiving formula by 3 months of age. A large majority of parents report they received no guidance about formula mixing from healthcare providers and may be afraid to ask questions related to formula due to a significant culture of “formula shaming”. Complications of improper mixing include electrolyte abnormalities, hypo or hyperglycemia and failure to thrive. Resident knowledge regarding formula best practices was assessed and found to be deficient for both storage and mixing. A self-paced educational module was created to help residents improve their knowledge of infant formula use.