Local Parents Worry For Their Infants' Safety As Baby Formula Shortage Worsens
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Nicolette Demicco is suffering the desperate need for baby formula parents are experiencing nationwide.
"You start to feel a worry, I mean there's no words for it," Demicco said.
She said her two-month-old baby has a dairy allergy and needs to be on a special formula. The only problem: she hasn't been able to find it in stock for weeks.
"It honestly brought tears to my eyes. I was like 'I don't know how he's going to get through the night,'" Demicco said
Shelves are empty across the country, with some stores limiting the amount of baby formula customers can buy. And there's no end to the crisis in sight. Supply chain issues, inflation, and a recall from Abbott Nutrition is making the formula hard for parents to find.
Manufacturers said they are producing at full capacity, but it's not enough to keep up with demand. In at least five states, more than 50 percent of sellers are out of stock. 25 states and Washington, D.C. are between 40 and 50 percent empty, up from seven states from just a few weeks ago.
"Our biggest fear is that parents may dilute the formula and this is a big no, no," said Dr. Dyan Hes, a pediatrician at Gramercy Hospital to CBS News.
Dr. Hes says calls are flooding from parents desperate for solutions. Both she and the FDA are warning parents against making formula themselves.
"That's how babies end up having seizures or dying or becoming malnourished because most of those recipes are outdated and they could be dangerous," she said. "They're not scientifically based."
Down to just three cans of formula left, moms like Demicco say she's now left asking other moms on Facebook for help.
"That has been my savior, but I mean, how long is that going to last for?"
