INDIANAPOLIS — The frustration caused by empty store shelves is a feeling almost every parent can understand.
“I’m constantly seeing things on social media about the formula shortage and people driving city to city and all kinds of things to get what they need,” said Netta Williams-Erby.
Williams-Erby is thankful she has enough formula to feed her almost 1-year-old son Adonis after trying several different brands.
“I understand what they are dealing with, and you know, tomorrow we could be struggling with formula again. I don’t know what’s going to happen with what’s going on right now,” she said.
Last year, Williams-Erby had a difficult pregnancy. At 19 weeks, her water broke. She then had to stay in the hospital for three months until it was safe to deliver.
Adonis stayed in the NICU for the first seven months of his life and finally came home last December.
During that time, Williams-Erby experimented with a lot of different formulas, which resulted in a pile of unopened containers.
“We would try a kind and it wouldn’t work. We would have all this leftover and we would try another kind and that didn’t work,” she said.
So she hopped on Facebook looking for someone who might need some. So far, she has done three giveaways. In one post she said, “This milk is unopened, unexpired and is NOT on the recall list. Reach out if I can help!”
“I think it’s great that people are making groups and are reaching out and helping each other,” Williams-Erby said.
It’s just one of the many ways moms are helping each other out by creating a network of support for those desperately in need.
“So far, we have been good with formula. So I really hope it stays that way, but if we have to cross that path. I guess I know where to go now. I will just hop into some of these groups and see what I can get,” Williams-Erby said.
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