The past couple of weeks I've been biking all around town to find my brand of formula during the shortage. Although the (obviously manufactured) shortage started with a different brand in the U.S., supply of all types was affected even here in Canada.

My family and friends are still oblivious to the shortage, and I barely got enough even though I was diligently preparing since the beginning of the shortage before it was even news. I'm sad that nobody has offered to help. I was harassed when I gave birth and called an "unreliable parent" literally because I was unvaccinated and had a mask exemption. If I'm so unreliable, why did I not have to knock on the door at the foodbank even though I'm only fixed monthly income and do not drive? It's almost like paranoid people have more time to prepare. Anyway...

We ordered some of our fringe brand of (dairy-free) formula from Amazon with the promise of 2-day shipping. Immediately after purchased, the shipping changed to 2-months! But, 10 days later I received an opened package (thrown on the wet lawn) of bovine collagen supplement for adults.

It gets better! I am not allowed to return the baby formula nor am I even permitted to write a review on the product. I cannot do a charge-back either because I used a pre-paid credit card; perhaps this is why it happened. Luckily I wasn't depending on that formula and made alternative plans, but now I'm out $30 and have extra garbage to throw out or a walk to the food bank.

This type of scam, from individuals and corporations is the epitome of the 21st century. Why are we such irresponsible, thoughtless, useless assholes?! Just garbage people everywhere, it feels like the movie Idiocracy. Why send something at all, why not just send an empty package?! Today's scam's need not even be believable, they just have to check the right boxes so you can't get a refund.

Top 5 things NOT to say to a mother during the formula shortage

1. Just order formula online
2. I heard you can use ________instead of formula
3. Just try breastfeeding
4. Just try breastfeeding more
5. Formula isn't good for them anyway

Why?!

1. You can't trust online ordering
2. You don't know enough about nutrition to give advice on this
3. Some women are taking medications or have medical conditions that do not allow breast-feeding. Also premature infants often can't breast-feed.
4. Breast milk dries up if not properly established at birth, you can't just choose to make more later.

Things you can do/say to help:

1. If it's early on, help breast milk production by helping mom reduce stress and recommend supplements like blessed thistle or fenugreek.

2. If baby is about 3-months old, tell mom/dad that it's not too early to start baby on a few spoon-fulls of pablum once or twice a day to supplement formula usage. You do not need to wait until 6-months old - that's what the formula companies want you to think.

3. If baby is about 6-months old, (s)he can be eating most pureed vegetables in addition to pablum to supplement formula use.

4. If baby is about 9-months old (s)he can start on whole milk. I've heard goat or sheep milk is more tolerable for their stomachs. I do not advocate for dairy, but if you have to use some, please don't choose factory-farmed milk.

5. Offer to take mom/dad shopping for formula, or reassure them that you will be on the lookout for their brand and will buy it for them if you see it and they can pay you back when convenient.

Before you bash dairy-free soy products, please be aware that most of your dairy products like salad dressing for example almost always have soy in addition to dairy, so you're not necessarily abstaining from soy by eating dairy.