INDIANAPOLIS — An Indiana native went viral recently on TikTok after posting a video about her frustration with not being able to find the hypoallergenic formula her 6-month-old daughter needs.
“What am I to do when I got to the shelves, and I can’t get my formula I need?” Kayzie Weedman asked in the video that’s now been viewed by more than 1.5 million people. “Let’s talk about the formula shortage that’s plaguing the U.S. right now, because more people need to know about this."
The interior designer's daughter, Palmer, is allergic to cow's milk protein and needs a prescription baby formula that’s been hard to find because of the baby formula shortage across the country.
Thursday, the Biden Administration announced Operation Fly Formula to get more baby formula on the shelves in the United States, specifically formula needed by kids who allergic to cow's milk protein, like Weedman’s daughter is.
The first shipment is expected to arrive this weekend in Plainfield.
“I’m going to insert a picture of what my daughter looks like when she has cow's milk,” Weedman said on the TikTok video, then showed pictures of baby Palmer, looking miserable with a red rash and all over her head, face and arms.
In addition to the overseas shipments expected, one of the major producers of baby formula in the United States, Abbot Nutrition, and the FDA said Monday the company would be restarting production within two weeks at its Sturgis, Michigan plant.
That plant shut down amidst reports of bacterial infections caused by some of its product that was linked to two deaths.
“I’ll be relieved when I see the formula on the shelves. I know these things can take time,” Weedman said.
United States Transportation Command is coordinating with the Department of Agriculture, the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services to get baby formula where it needs to go, bypassing traditional cargo routes to get it here faster.
But Weedman said that’s not fast enough for parents who have been dealing with the shortage.
“Why is it taking a mom like me posting a TikTok about not being able to feed my child for this to become a serious issue. That to me, blows my mind,” Weedman added, explaining that after she posted the video, people sent her cans of the formula she needed, enough to feed Palmer for close to three months.
Now Weedman is helping other moms in the same boat.
“I’ve just been facilitating trades for moms all over the U.S.,” she said.
Weedman said she'll keep helping out until the shortage is over.
“I just want babies to be fed. That’s all I want right now,” said Weedman.
13News has reached out to Nestle to ask about what happens to the baby formula once it gets to Indiana. They told us they have no logistics to announce, but would let us know when they did.