First overseas shipment of baby formula lands in Indiana; When will product return to store shelves?
Formula for more than half a million baby bottles arrived in Indianapolis on Sunday.
>> Baby formula shortage: 78,000 pounds of infant formula arrive in Indianapolis
It’s part of an ongoing effort to address the nationwide formula shortage.
News Center 7′s James Rider explains where this formula is going and why it may take time to see help arrive on store shelves.
The formula is hypoallergenic and will be fed to babies intolerant of protein in cow milk. It will eventually land in hospitals, pharmacies, and doctor’s offices where the need is the greatest.
>> Baby formula shortage: Biden invokes Defense Production Act
One local mother, Sarah Wright, has a 10-month-old who is lactose intolerant, and she can’t wait to see more formula on the shelves.
“It’s actually been really difficult. We didn’t have problems at first. But now we’re having a big issue finding it,” Wright said.
Baby formula has been increasingly more difficult to find. According to information from Datasembly, the out of stock rate was at 23 percent in January, over 30 percent in April and now at 43 percent.
Mothers News Center 7 talked to say they’re happy that some help is on the way, but that not enough is being done. The best case scenario is more formula hits the shelves later this week.
The formula comes from a factory that has already gone through U.S. FDA approval and only needed a spot check Sunday when it landed.
Nestle is also going to conduct its own quality check at its local distribution site, but some moms are uneasy about formula from foreign countries.
“I personally do not trust imported items, that’s just me. Makes me a little nervous,” said Franklin resident, December Pergrem.
>> Baby formula maker Abbott reaches agreement to restart largest production plant
Baby formula maker Abbott expects to have its Michigan plant reopened next week. It was closed in February due to safety issues. It’s the nation’s largest domestic manufacturing plant.
It will still take around two months before the product from this plant is ready for delivery.
Pergrem shared her advice in the meantime. “Don’t feel nervous about asking for help. I know a lot of moms, we think we are super woman, but we sometimes struggle to ask for help. This is your child’s nutrition at risk so make sure that you use any resources you can,” she said.
