A NEW mum says she is struggling to feed her premature baby daughter because there is a shortage of the formula milk she urgently needs.

Little Fiadh Rose weighed just 2lbs 12oz when she was delivered by C-section in November to mum Shannon Gadd in Grimsby.

The 25-year-old gave Fiadh breast milk in a bottle for eight weeks but switched to Cow & Gate's Nutriprem 2 formula as the tot's weight started to drop as it helps preterm babies gain weight as it is enriched with key vitamins and minerals.

But Shannon has been unable to track any of the formula down for weeks – and manufacturers have said they are experiencing delays in getting the product to shelves – leaving little Fiadh sick and dehydrated.

Shannon told GrimsbyLive: "I was told Fiadh had stopped growing two weeks prior to her birth because of a growth issue so doctors performed a Caesarean.

"She was taken into the NICU for five weeks where I used breast milk in a bottle for eight weeks to give her the best fighting chance.

"But her weight dropped and she needed extra calories because my milk wasn’t enough for her growing appetite.

"I took the very hard decision to try and transition her into formula with Cow and Gate Nutriprem 2 recommended.

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"She loved it but we last we ran out on December 27 and haven't been able to order any since."

In desperation, Shannon switched to a different formula – but the newborn didn't react well to it and took a turn for the worst on December 28.

"She was taking a little amount of milk and then bringing it back up so she was really hungry and upset," the new mum added.

"I was getting worried about her so I rang 111 and they told me to be seen by someone immediately.

"A doctor admitted us straight away and said Fiadh was going to need to be treated for dehydration."

Worried Shannon says the shortage is "taking its toll" on her baby's health as she still only weighs 5lb 6oz.

The mum searched stores across four different towns and cities before contacting Cow & Gate, who confirmed there is a national shortage.

"It feels like I’ve been passed from pillar to post without any joy," she added.

"How can it be out of stock when it’s made only for premature and under weight babies?"

"I'm so worried for Fiadh because the doctor has confirmed that it’s to do with the many diet changes.

'TAKING ITS TOLL'

"The question I ask now is, how am I going to feed my baby? We’ve had to go out and get normal milk which we know makes her sick and it’s not enriched enough so she's going to lose weight.

"I don’t know what we are supposed to do."

A representative from manufacturer Danone has confirmed they are "working hard" to get the product back out for those in need.

"We were sorry to hear about Shannon’s story," a spokesperson said.

"We are experiencing some short-term, isolated incidents of low availability on our Cow & Gate Nutriprem 2 800g powder formula product.

"We do appreciate how unsettling and frustrating it can be for parents to not be able to find the products they need.

"We are working hard to get products back onto shelves as soon as possible."

The manufacturer is also sending out supplies of Nutriprem 2 800g products which will be available in stores towards the end of this week.

"We have good availability of our Nutriprem 2 200ml liquid product (same formula) which is also an option," the spokesperson added.

"In the meantime, we want to do everything we can to help.

"If Shannon would like to get in touch, we can help locate supplies or possible alternatives."

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