Store Shelves are bare due to lack of baby formula

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Since the pandemic, shortages of various products and even certain foods have been more frequent.

Recently, eggs and chicken have been in short supply.

Now the baby formula is getting hard to find. Parents are now looking to people in the community to help them find what they need to feed their babies.

For the past couple of months mothers looking for babies, the formula have been coming up empty.

Allana Powe says it isn’t unusual to not see bare shelves for a few days but now it may take over a week to find what her baby needs.

“It’s scary not just for moms like me but for new moms and everyone else. It’s really bad how you’re supposed to feed your baby but don’t have anything to take care of them,” said Powe.

Powe says that when she can’t find it in stores her first response is to go online.

“They have online stuff that you can find and it’s like limited and you can’t stock up like you could with the pandemic,” said Powe.

If she can’t find what she needs online her second response is to ask a friend.

“I’ve asked my friend group on Facebook, if you guys find some let me know,” said Powe.

Powe isn’t the only person online looking for what their child needs.

Janine Dunleavy with Starkville strong says she realized that the lack of baby formula is becoming a real problem.

“I know a couple of people in my neighborhood that has kids and they were starting to struggle to find the formula and then I was seeing it on Facebook constantly people just putting it out there what they needed and if anyone had some or if anyone needed any in stores,” said Dunleavy.

Dunleavy says after seeing dozens of posts she decided to make a post to allow others to reach out and help them find what they need.

“Could we do a post that says have some give need some take and coordinate the effort through the community and try to get everyone involved in trying to feed kids because these are babies and they need formula this is not a want this is a need,” said Dunleavy.

Powe says that it can get stressful and hopes this shortage will be over soon but until then she is thankful for the community and the people that are sticking together to help feed babies in the area.

“When you’re a mom your baby always comes first and your child comes first and you make sure they are fed and taken care of. we’re just trying to deal with it and it’s just a little crazy and hectic but there’s nothing we can really do about it and we just have to find them where and when we can,” said Powe.

You can find Starkville Strong on Facebook.