‘That’s all we could do.’ How one Charlotte-area mom copes with baby formula shortage
One Friday night in mid-February, Waxhaw resident MJ Gardener frantically searched her pantry.
She sifted through about a months-worth of Similac Alimentum baby formula, looking up each one online by batch number — they had all been recalled.
At the time, that formula was the only brand that worked for Mila’s allergies.
“It was very stressful,” Gardner said, speaking with The Charlotte Observer on Tuesday. “It was horrible. I don’t wish that on anyone. Just the thought that you have to go through all this trial and error again.
“I’m going online, I’m going to stores and it’s nowhere to be found,” Gardner said. The recall led to a formula shortage in stores across the country.
Almost four months later, it’s still hard to find formula. Formula supply is getting better, and Gardner said she’s lucky to have friends and family looking for formula for her.
But her now 6-month-old daughter Mila will be using formula for another half year. So it’s stressful to think about how long the shortage could last.
“It’s just a shame we have to go through that, us moms,” she said. “It’s 2022 here in America, worrying about how to feed our babies.”
Anxiety over allergies
Gardner had breastfed her son Luke, now 6, with no problems. But at about 6 weeks old, Mila was fussy, screaming and crying all the time.
It took a month or more to diagnose her with food allergies, including dairy. And it took another six weeks of trial and error to find the specialty formula that worked for Mila.
But in mid-February, baby formula manufacturer Abbott Nutrition announced a voluntary recall of three types of infant formula, including the brand Gardner used.
And the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned customers not to use the formulas produced at an Abbott facility in Michigan. The FDA warning came after four infants in three states fell ill related to bacterial infections, according to the agency.
The day after she heard about the recall, Gardner called Abbott Nutrition. They told her she wouldn’t be able to get her regular brand of formula any time soon, and that she should switch to a competitor, Gardner said.
“That’s really easy to say, but you don’t know how my daughter’s going to react to that,” Gardner said. “But that’s all we could do.”
Luckily, after a few months on the specialty formula, Mila’s food allergies had subsided and she was able to switch to a new formula, Garner said.
But in that moment in February, Gardner felt like she was back at square one.
Checking the shelves
Mila is still on a specialty formula. It’s one of the more in-demand formula brands during the shortage.
So in the nearly four months since the formula recall was announced, it’s been hard to find on grocery store shelves. But when she does find it, she makes sure to share with other moms in need.
In fact, Gardner started a Facebook group for other formula-hunting moms. “Moms Networking- Formula Shortage 2022,” started in May, now has about 300 members.
Gardner says she’s lucky to have family and friends to lean on, people who make sure to pick up formula for her when they see it. She has enough formula for now, but always checks the shelves just in case.
And she said even in a bad situation, it’s been fun to meet other moms and help support other people dealing with similar problems.
“I guess you have to make the best out of the situation,” she said. “But it’s been kind of sad. We shouldn’t have to worry about how to feed our kids.”
Searching for baby formula
Gardner took the Observer into her nearby grocery store, the Walmart Neighborhood Market in Waxhaw, on Tuesday, in search of more formula.
At least half of the brands of formula on the shelf were wiped out, including the new brand Gardner is using for Mila. That’s pretty typical, she said.
The toddler version of Mila’s current formula was available, but that isn’t recommended for children under 9 months, Gardner said. And her doctor recommended sticking with the infant formula until Mila is a year old.
“It’s kind of scary, to think that we have six months left,” Gardner said. “…(I’m) hoping that the next six months is not just like this.”
This story was originally published June 9, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
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