Mom rations baby’s bottles as formula shortage hits Bay Area
TAMPA, Fla. - The baby formula shortage is hitting Bay Area families and some parents are limiting the number of bottles they give to their children.
A trip to the park for Allison Fischer and her seven-month-old daughter Luna comes with a dose of reality.
"I take a certain number of portions every day," Fischer said of her formula supply. "I am limiting the number of bottles that she has."
That's because the formula Luna needs for her sensitive stomach is as rare to find as a day without tears.
"The last time we went shopping, there was just one, one container on the shelf of the brand that we needed. I felt really bad about taking it, but I didn't have a choice."
READ What's driving the baby formula shortage?
Grocery supply tracker Datasembly says the out-of-stock rate for baby formula hit 43 percent this week. A month ago it was at 30 percent, while at the beginning of the year, it was at 18 percent.
The problem started mid-February when a plant belonging to Similac had to shut down over a contamination, and has been made worse by a shortage of certain ingredients.
Doctors say it's critical for parents not to dilute the formula mix just to save a few scoops.
"Infants can be very fragile, and it is important to not give them anything that is not approved by the FDA. It’s important to mix formula correctly," said Dr. Racha Khalaf, USF's head of pediatric gastroenterology.
Dr. Khalaf also says to not make your own formula with an online recipe.
The Biden Administration says it is working with companies to streamline production and distribution.
READ Baby formula shortage: FDA works with Abbott to resume production
Some stores are now limiting how much product a parent can buy, and producers are shifting focus to infant formulas.
"She is starting solids, but she's not quite there yet," Fischer said. "It is definitely a stressor. It makes me feel like I am not doing my job as a mom, and I really wish I had more options. And I don't know what to do."
Doctors also tell Fox 13 it is a good idea to check baby formula producers’ websites.