Triangle parents continue to look for baby formula as 84% of NC formula remains out of stock

GARNER, N.C. (WTVD) -- Yanssie Rangel is counting down the days to baby number two. She doesn't know what the formula shortage will look like in August but she's hopeful she'll be able to breastfeed her second like she did Abigail.

ABC News reports North Carolina is 84% out of stock.

"I'm praying, hoping and crossing my fingers that breast feeding goes ahead and does what it needs to be doing," Yanssie said. "Sometimes that's not the way it works out."

We met Yanssie outside the Target in Garner where the shelves were next to empty. The Food Lion in Southeast Raleigh had next to nothing.

Yanssie said she's part of a Facebook group with other moms and they take pictures when they do find formula in stock at various stores.

"We share that so any of the moms who are looking for something--that they know which shop to go to," she said.

Others can only wait for manufacturers to ramp up production to fill the gap left by the Abbott plant recall in Michigan.

More formula has been promised with Operation Fly Formula, but grocery shelves have been getting barer.

Formula shortages are even more evident in states that rely heavily on the Women Infants and Children or WIC Supplemental Program.

"It's our first kid too," said Lindsey Carter. "We're just the normal, neurotic parents."

Lindsey and her husband Jonah Rosenthal have 18 weeks to go on their first journey. The last thing they want to do now is buy formula they don't need just yet.

"With the shortage, we want the people who need it to take it," Jonah said. "We're just hoping when our baby is born, we have enough for when that happens."