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MILKING MOMS
Desperate moms slam baby formula price gougers selling cans at TRIPLE price & fume they are being shamed during crisis
DESPERATE mothers are slamming baby formula price gougers who are selling cans at double the price and fume that they are even being shamed during the crisis.
Three new mothers shared their stories about the struggles that they and fellow new moms are facing in trying to feed their babies during the nationwide formula shortage crisis.
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It comes as some are reportedly even being shamed for using baby formula in the first place.
STRUGGLES WITH SPECIALIZED FORMULA
Allison Snoeck, of Long Island, New York, said needing a specialized formula for her five-month-old son Ford has been particularly difficult during the crisis.
Beyond stores raising the prices in a matter of mere weeks, she has also witnessed troubling price-gouging schemes that some moms are forced to entertain.
"The price for our Amino acid-based formula went from $50 to $65 at the same store in the span of just a couple of weeks.
Read More Baby Formula Crisis
"Then my mom found a few more cans in another town a little farther away from me and she was charged $80 a can.";
All of the moms we spoke to have said that the various online parent communities have really banded together to help each other out in finding the formula their babies need, but that is also where people trying to make a buck are selling potentially hoarded supplies to desperate moms.
"It's nice seeing people come to these groups with formula, but it can also be scary. Some people are trying to tell moms 'Well, I just want what I paid for it,' and it's like no one knows how much you actually paid for the formula."
Allison said she has seen people reselling formula for as much as $90 a can.
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The new mom said that she's been fortunate that her personal community has banded together, and that even a friend on the other side of the country was able to find cans of formula for her and ship them.
Allison acknowledges she has been lucky to have the support of her family and friends- and that not everyone has that.
"It's really sad and like you see these women- these new moms- just struggling."
Another tough twist, the moms that spoke to The Sun all said they've experienced or seen some level of mom-shaming for needing to use formula in the first place.
"With breastfeeding," Allison said, "I didn't have a choice, my kid had an infection and I wanted to keep breastfeeding but that was just no longer an option."
WHEN FINDING REGULAR FORMULA IS HARD
New mom Laura Olsen of Colorado has a seven-month-old daughter, Alli, and said she feels like she's in a good place with her formula supply - for now.
"I feel like we have like two or three weeks of like supply so I feel actually really good."
Laura said she was lucky her daughter doesn't need any specialized formula, so when her friends are at the store, "if they see something they'll pick it up or they're going through their unused supplies and giving me cans or samples."
Just a few weeks ago though, the new mom found herself in a very scary situation.
"I didn't even have enough for the next day. So, after work, I went to five different stores until I found just ONE can."
"That was probably the low point for me but also I was recognizing that you can ask for help from these amazing communities of moms," she added.
"It was definitely not a problem I ever thought I would run into. I didn't have a stockpile because anytime I went to the store, the shelves were full. And now I'm trying not to be a hoarder so that I don't add to the problem."
Like Allison, Laura said she also experienced formula price gouging.
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"It's insane. Like it feels so rude but that's not even it.
"I used to spend around $35 to $40 a week on formula and now I spend $50 and that might not sound like a significant difference, but it's a big difference. I'm a single mom. My budget is tight.
"It's a big deal, $200 a month, on formula? It's just crazy. I'm not doing something fancy here- it's just powdered milk," she added.
Laura summed up the issue moms are facing: "You can't find it- and then when you do- it's more expensive."
The Colorado native said she has also seen the consequences of mom-shaming in the formula crisis.
"One of my friends said that she was afraid to reach out because she didn't want to be judged for using formula."
She said after telling all of her own friends who were new moms before her and figuring out between breastfeeding and formula that '"fed is best," she had to listen to her own advice when it came to using formula.
Meanwhile, Laura referenced the stories circulating about struggling moms diluting their formula - with devastating consequences.
"You hear the stories of people who are diluting their formula and babies are having seizures," the new mom cautioned.
The CDC said parents should NEVER dilute formula and warns it can cause life-threatening illnesses in babies.
BREAST FEEDING & FUTURE FORMULA FEAR
Gen Montgomery of Westchester, New York, is a new mom with two-month-old Sarah at home.
Gen said that she is currently breastfeeding, but when she was first released from the hospital, she wasn't able to produce yet, so her doctor gave her some samples - it was a good thing, as the local shelves were already empty by then.
"You have this anxiety. I'm pumping every morning and saving extra because eventually, I do plan to go back to work."
It's typical for moms returning to work to see a dip in their supply, and Gen said she is already concerned about returning to the workforce due to the formula shortage.
"I know I'm going to see a dip and with this shortage going on, it doesn't it doesn't ease your anxiety."
The new mom said she's been diagnosed with postpartum anxiety and she thinks the formula shortage crisis has played a factor.
Gen said: "Breastfeeding is stressful, but nobody tells you that, they just tell you 'It's free!'
"People can't do it or for whatever reason, and you hear of mothers being shamed for not breastfeeding," the Westchester mom added.
To add to the anxiety, Gen "I don't understand why people would scalp formula - it's horrible."
"They go to Facebook Marketplace to resell at a markup. You have people that will buy up an entire shelf of it, and then go on Marketplace and like bump it up to triple the price of it and sell it to people who are desperate," Gen added.
She also cautioned about bad advice moms have been given to "go make your own formula."
"Don't do that. It's specifically made with the perfect amounts in it. You hear people try to make it on their own and their babies are getting Toxic Shock Syndrome."
TIPS FOR NAVIGATING THE CRISIS
All three mothers heralded the support of various online local parent groups on social media like Facebook where lots of moms are sharing photos inside different stores that still have formula stock on the shelves.
There are also local donation sites and milk banks which may be able to help out parents in the crisis.
One mother shared that her doctor had told her using the toddler version of the formula she needed could also work, it's just a different size scoop- parents who are interested in that as a potential immediate solution should consult with their pediatrician.
HOW THE CRISIS BEGAN
While the problem was first reported last month, it appears to be getting worse.
Stores nationwide report two major setbacks in restocking supplies - earlier product recalls and supply-chain shortages.
Experts are warning the problem could be here for months.
In April 2022, about 30% of popular baby formula brands were sold out, USA Today reported.
In February 2022, Abbott recalled its Similac PM formulas.
The Food and Drug Administration made the announcement on February 28 - the plant was subsequently shut down.
This was after three other formulas were recalled on February 17 - Similac, Alimentum, and EleCare.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The announcements came after four infants were chronically ill with infections.
All five infants were hospitalized.
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