The baby formula shortage is not yet over for some Arkansas families, as many parents still struggle to keep their infants fed. Some moms say they have been searching near and far for the formula they need and are still coming up short.
One of those mothers is Ashley Voss. The Austin, Arkansas native said feeding her 10-month-old daughter Kenndey has been challenging for months now. She said they wanted to be able to buy the formula easily but just can't. Voss added that they had already switched her child's formula twice because of the shortage.
The baby formula shortage started in February, although shipments have arrived across the United States since then. However, Voss said her baby daughter uses the Gerber Good Start Gentle Pro, which she and her husband have not been able to find in stores.
Baby formula shortage woes continue in Arkansas
Voss said her husband works in North Little Rock and had gone to the Walmart of McCain, in Jacksonville, and the two Walmarts in Cabot but had not found the one they needed in all four stores.
The same case happened to Liyah Martinez, a mother of a 10-month-old boy. The Maumelle native said she also had not found her son's regular formula since April. She said they had tried other things, with doctors giving them suggestions, but it hurts his stomach. Martinez told KARK that the constant change of different milk had affected her baby.
Both mothers said they were unable to breastfeed and are now feeling desperate. Voss said she hopes they start producing more formulas and have a backstock of formulas just in case the shortage happens again. She added that they are now on their last can of formula and will be soon back on the search for more. Both moms noted they had been able to count on other mothers online during these hard times.
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Arkansas Department of Health lending a helping hand
The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) said that if families struggle to provide the formula needed for their babies, they should consult their healthcare provider before making any formula changes.
According to the ADH, the following practices could jeopardize babies' short- and long-term health: making homemade formula, introducing cow's milk before one year of age, diluting formula, or consuming a recalled infant formula product.
Furthermore, ADH said that families could call a local county health department WIC (Women, Infants and Children) office and ask about the Arkansas WIC Program eligibility. They can also visit the Arkansas Department of Health website for more details about the state's feeding programs.
