Baby formula shortage felt in Michiana

 

South Bend, Ind. -- The scene in pretty much every store Michiana moms go to: sparse shelves in the baby formula aisle.

Now, moms tell me they’re having to stock up or drive around to different locations in order to keep their babies fed.

"Sometimes I have to drive like half-an-hour find the formula that I need," said Dior Barbour, a South Bend mother.

Barbour says sometimes she has to resort to looking online for more formula, and has had trouble finding the right brand for her baby.

"I actually just switched the brand I was using because I was unable to find the Happy Baby organic on the shelf, and also online it was sold out," said Barbour.

She even sought help from her mother in California who was willing to ship formula to her if she found any, although her mother has yet to find any in-stock.

President Biden has been in close communication with baby formula companies about the ongoing shortage.

The White House says it’s now working with all major formula factories to boost production at places like the Abbot factory in Sturgis, Michigan after coming under intense pressure to do something about the shortage.

The House of Representatives is now working on two bills to help out, too.

One bill would expedite the process for the U.S. to purchase formula from abroad, and the second would bolster access to formula through government aid programs.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi says that action needs to come quickly.

"We must do something as quickly as possible, but as safely as possible, and use caution, for these babies," said Pelosi.

Right now it is estimated that close to 43% of formula varieties are unavailable across the country.