Nationwide Baby Formula Shortage Affects Oklahoma Families

The Food and Drug Administration is taking action to ease the worsening baby formula shortage.

The lack of formula is leaving parents desperate all across the country, including Oklahoma.

Kenyatta Fleeks is a grandmother of seven. She said she hopes improvement efforts made by the FDA kick in soon.

Fleeks has been struggling to find formula her grandchildren for the entire year.  

Fleeks said the baby food aisles in many grocery stores are empty.

“Maybe two cans on one shelf, one can on one shelf, but nothing,” Fleeks said. “Nothing, and now, they've made this law. We got to have the babies, we got to have milk, we got to feed the kids.”

Fleeks said it's a family effort to try to make sure they have enough formula for their little ones like Nova. Plus, she helps families at her daycare.

“We have to go to multiple stores to purchase. So, I go to the store, she goes to the store, we order online just whatever we need to do,” Fleeks said.

The FDA said it is making steps to improve this supply shortage including meeting regularly with manufacturers, requesting stakeholder retailer place purchasing limits on certain products and looking at data to make sure formula is available in the right locations.

Allison Parker with Infant Crisis Services said their shelves aren't necessarily empty, but they are feeling the challenges of the shortages. Despite the shortages, they're encouraging families to not experiment with baby formula to make it last longer like making their own formula and watering down formula.

“Each bottle that they make with formula using the directions on the can is there for a reason, and it packs in the nutrients they need for each meal,” Parker said. “Watering down that formula is detrimental to them.”