MILWAUKEE — Empty formulas at local grocery stores across Milwaukee are a familiar sight many families have been seeing for the last year. Some doctors are saying things may not get better for a while. The I-Team found out how Abbott's 2022 baby formula mishap, which stopped production of major formula brands, is still impacting Milwaukee families today.
"Hi mi amor, it's okay," Selena Quintana said as she cradled her baby, Leonado.
He's up from his morning nap and ready for his bottle, and luckily right now, Quintana is stocked up.
"They will last me a month-and-a-half if I'm lucky, two max," Quintana said pointing to the dozen baby formula bottles on her shelf.
Quintana's no stranger to bare shelves where baby formula used to live.
"The shortage actually did affect my oldest when he was 10 months old," Quintana said.
That was last year in 2022 when the shortage was at its peak.
"Now it's affecting my youngest son who's now five months old," Quintana added.
For Quintana, options are limited since her sons have food sensitivity and are only able to drink specific brands. Of course, the ones previously recalled by Abbott.
"Anywhere you go it's hard to any formula. My biggest concern would have to be going a few weeks without finding that formula and my son's stash getting smaller and smaller," Quintana said.
A fight to feed some of our most vulnerable and Quintana isn't alone.
"Overwhelmingly, the families who are doing formula it's because they really didn't have another choice," Dr. Lisa Chowdhury said.
Dr. Chowdhury is a pediatrician at the NextDoor clinic. She said production has ramped back up since the Abbott manufacturing health scare in 2022, but supply still isn't meeting demand.
"Especially with some of the specialty type of formula, the reflux ones, some of my preemie formulas, and in particular, my actually a little bit older kids, my one to four-year-olds, those are the ones who have been hit medically the hardest," Dr. Chowdhury explained.
Even if formula is on the shelves, Dr. Chowdhury said new hurdles have come out of this shortage such as, "Is this formula a safe option for my child?"
"Imagine the weight you feel on your shoulders about what you're actually feeding your baby, trusting it's going to be safe and trusting it's going to be on the shelf when you go to buy it when you need it," Dr. Chowdhury said.
Dr. Chowdhury said if you have questions or can't find your formula and need to switch, check with your pediatrician first. If you're still on the hunt for formula, ask your pediatrician for samples, check delivery dates at local stores, or ask family members and friends to look for you.
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