GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Nationwide, parents are having trouble finding baby formula in stores amid a shortage.
ABC News reports the White House says the FDA is working with manufacturers to make sure shelves are stocked.
Meanwhile, West Michigan parents are still facing a challenge of finding food for their babies.
"It's really scary as a parent to not know how you're going to feed your kid," said mom Andrea Molenkamp, "That's one of the scariest things that you can honestly feel like, 'Oh my God, how is my child going to eat today?'"
Molenkamp said it has been "an absolute pure nightmare" finding formula in stores that works with WIC. She drove to Indiana in March, spending $250 dollars on formula because she could not find any in Michigan stores.
"We just couldn't find it, and my daughter had literally a half a can left," said Molenkamp, "I was freaking out as a mom, and I'm like, I have to do something."
The Kent County WIC Program is also fielding daily calls of parents struggling to find formula. Abigail Bishop, the supervisor, said she covered phones last week, and had about four or five calls in a couple hours.
"We're trying to do the best we can with the resources we have to walk families through this," said Bishop.
In March, there was a wide baby formula recall. Shortly after that recall, Bishop said that is when they started to feel the shortage. To respond, the state WIC office has expanded options for contract formulas in brands and sizes.
"Sometimes, what we also see is they can't find one formula, so we start switching folks to another one," said Bishop, "And then that one starts to lose stock on the shelves. And so, we kind of do this teeter-totter."
While Bishop said things have been getting a little better since the recall, thanks to more available options, it is still a daily conversation.
Baby formula is essential for baby growth. Many babies or mothers are not able to breastfeed or have other nutritional needs.
Emrie Colegrove's daughter, Wilhelmina, has a heart condition and uses soy formula. That has been something difficult for Colegrove to find. For the past two months, she has not been able to find the one her daughter tolerated well in stores.
"With her heart condition, calories and weight gain are super important," said Colegrove, "Otherwise, her heart won't heal. So. when you think as a mom, those million thoughts just go through your mind. It's really scary to think that your baby is not going to get the nutrition that they need."
She was able to find a generic brand at one store, which she has been using.
However, she also wants people to understand that the correct formula can be pricey, if it is not covered by WIC. Plus, driving to multiple stores with climbing gas prices adds up.
"I can't believe how much worse it's getting before it's getting better," said Colegrove.
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