Recent inflation, supply chain shortages, and product recalls led to shortage of baby formula around America. This situation left a number of parents in devastation as they are unable to find the right formulas for their babies. So far, three different types of formula have been recalled from the markets after four infants were hospitalized. Those products include Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare powdered infant formulas that were produced at Abbott Nutrition’s Sturgis, Michigan facility.
Kayzie Weedman is just one of the many moms whose babies are formula fed. She is in a desperate situation because the only formula her daughter could have without getting a severe allergic reaction is nowhere to be found. In order to give an insight into what parents are going through right now, she shared a TikTok video which has been seen over a million times so far.
“Let’s talk about the formula shortage that is plaguing the US right now, because more people need to know about this. You go to your local Target, your local Walmart, and you think you’re going to get the formula your baby needs? Nope. Shelves are bare. And there are babies who can’t have just any formula that’s on the shelf,” Weedman starts her story.
“I’m going to insert a picture of what my daughter looks like when she has cow’s milk because she has a huge cow’s milk protein allergy. So, what am I going to do when I go to the shelves and can’t get the formula that I need? The pharmacist who fills her prescription formula can’t fill it because they can’t get it — it’s back-ordered six months and I just have to sit there and stare at empty shelves and not know what I’m going to do next.”
“Formula is not available on any of the shelves. They’re empty — nowhere near three hours near me [has it]. Can’t get the formula. What are we going to do? Where do we go from here? How do formula moms feed their kids?” she says while sharing a photo of her baby daughter with her face covered in rash.
A number of other moms posted comments saying they were in the same situation.
Speaking to BuzzFeed, Weedman explained how her daughter is allergic to cow’s milk protein, gluten, soy, and goat’s milk, among the rest. Sadly, most of the formulas, except for those that are not available right now, have most of this in their content.
As much as many people were very supportive and understood this mother’s struggles, there were also those who said she should have breastfed her daughter instead. “I could not breastfeed because of Palmer’s immune system and allergy needs. MY breast milk was slowly killing my baby and if I did not have formula, she would be far worse off,” she said.
I keep seeing men say “heerrrrr derrrr just breast feed” to women speaking about the real baby formula shortage. So let me say this: men, please stop. Stop. Don’t expose how little you understand about this. You just look like a dope. Stop.
— Susie Timm (@susietimm) May 9, 2022
Luckily for Weedman, a number of people offered to send her the formula from places where it was available, including Australia.
“The community of mothers around me has been outstanding. The amount of help I have received from complete strangers is something I never imagined. The tribe of mothers out there are special people,” she wrote.
However, as she is just one of the huge number of moms whose children got affected by the formula shortage, this mom wrote: “This formula shortage is very scary and very real. My suggestion is to be on the lookout every time you go to any store that sells formula. Find your formula-feeding friends and band together to look for and purchase formula for each other. I have friends and family from all over looking for her cans every time they go to the store. Help moms out and just grab ONE can. Frenzy buying isn’t helping.”
We hope the problem with formula shortage would be solved as soon as possible.
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