NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The baby formula situation locally is not as dire as some parts of the country, according to Reno County Health Department WIC coordinator Heather Peterson.
"Locally, what I'm hearing families say is that they are kind of having to piecemeal their formula options," Peterson said. "It may mean that they are going to multiple stores in order to find the number of cans that they qualify for on their WIC benefit. Several families are traveling easily outside of town and definitely out of county. Some are going into McPherson and into Salina, down into Wichita in order to find the formula that they need."
For those with special dietary needs, it is a struggle right now.
"With the special formulas, they are having to drive quite a distance in order to find those formulas," Peterson said. "The standard formulas like Similac Advanced are now really pretty commonly available on the shelves and we are seeing a lot of families that are switching back to that product, simply because of its availability. Here again, the babies have outgrown that sensitivity and they're able to tolerate that standard formula well."
WIC has continued to leave its formula access much less restrictive in light of the supply issue.
"The good news is the vast majority of formulas are available," Peterson said. "It might be in just smaller quantities. Now, we are allowing formulas from other makers. The State of Kansas has a contract with Similac. Now, we are able to offer Enfamil, we're able to offer the Gerber line of products. Even the Parent's Choice, which would be the Walmart brand or the Comforts, which is the Dillons brand. We can even do the Up and Up and the Tippy Toes, which are Target brands, and so, some families are going in and getting their formulas at some of the Target stores."
Peterson also said she's seeing pregnant women give a little additional effort to attempting to breastfeed and those who were only using formula part-time now breastfeeding full-time in light of the shortages.