Missouri is one of six states where more than half of baby formula supplies are sold out, according to a KCTV online article dated May 10. Several Clinton stores have to limit purchases of formula, or have empty shelves while they wait for new deliveries. Walmart is limiting its formula to five units per child for each customer, per day. Dollar General on Ohio Street had one can of Gerber formula when contacted on the morning of May 23. The store was waiting for more formula to be delivered.
“I tell some of the parents who are looking for formula to check with their pediatricians for formula information, and to sign up for formula mailing lists to get free samples of the products,” said the Dollar General clerk.
Moreland Day Care provides a certain brand for babies that it cares for, and parents can provide their own brand if they prefer something different, according to Kayla Blevins, who works with babies at the Day Care. She said the Day Care has had to switch brands of formula lately, and some parents have been told they need to talk to their doctors to find out how to meet the formula needs of their babies.”
Blevins said that she has her own seven-month old baby who is on a special formula “Infamil Reguline” for babies with constipation. She said that she has had friends looking for this brand all over the state. The last time she found some she had to go to Lamar. Her friends were only able to find two cans in Springfield and two cans in Sedalia. She is thankful that since her baby is seven months old does not need as much formula as was necessary at an earlier age.
A contact at Amazon.com reported that the company uses quantity limits when essential products are in short supply to help serve as many customers as possible and to prevent the possibility of hoarding. It presently has online quantity limits of four units per week for all baby formula products shipped and sold by Amazon, including its private label brand.
According to a KCTV online article, dated May 10, the shortage became serious in February of this year due to Covid-related supply chain issues and the FDA shutdown of an Abbott Nutrition manufacturing plant in Michigan when batches of popular formula brands were recalled after reports of sick infants.
The New York Times website reported on May 23, that a shipment of infant formula intended to fill a nationwide shortage arrived in the U.S. from Europe on May 22, and stated that a second flight was expected to bring additional supplies in the coming days. The first shipment was said to be the equivalent of about 500,000 eight-ounce bottles, containing a hypoallergenic formula for children with cow’s milk protein allergy. The shipment arrived from Ramstein Air Base in Germany and provides enough formula to take care of 9,000 babies and 18,000 toddlers for a week.
Hannah Shelton, Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, with the WIC program at the Henry County Health Center, said that women who sign up for the WIC program have the opportunity for an introduction to breast feeding. The program also offers formula, through USDA, through benefits on a card that allows a mother to obtain four to nine cans of formula at a time from a store of her choosing. Some of the formula is also used as a supplement for breast-feeding mothers. WIC follows the American Academy of Pediatrics advice for breast feeding or bottle for the first six months. Then, at six months solid food is introduced and babies can still continue on formula until one year of age. In March, the health department had 400 families being served by WIC that included pregnant women, children and babies in its caseload. The Center does not dispense formula.
A quick look online for powdered formula in cans and the prices listed showed the following results. Similac is available at www.walgreens.com in a 30.8 oz. can for $37.99, as well as Gerber Good Start for Milk Intolerance & Allergy in a 13.1 oz. can for $33.99. Some other sites with Enfamil were closed out.
According to Golden Valley Memorial Hospital Birthing Center, about 30 babies are currently being born a month, which is considered an average number. About half of the babies’mothers breast feed their babies and the other half use formula. The hospital gets its formula from a Similac representative from Abbot Nutrition and other sources. The Director of Marketing at the hospital was not available at the time of publication of this article to report the amount of formula on hand at the Birthing Center.
