The struggle is real for Vermont mom Brittany Smick. When she is not with her baby or at work, Smick is always looking for a formula for her kid. It is not just any formula; she needs to locate Enfamil Gentlease, as that is the only brand her 4-month-old baby can digest.
According to VTDigger, the Barre native finds cans at the Berlin Walmart if she is lucky. Smick has also driven as far as Lebanon, New Hampshire, an hour away from her residence, in search of the much-needed formula. She has also asked her relatives in other states to be on the lookout for the elusive brand.
If Smick fails to find the brand she needs through those means, she crowdsources formula leads on the social media platform Facebook. The primary Facebook group for local parents in need is "Helping VT Parents Find Formula." The group has proven to be a hit among local moms, with membership already nearing 700 users.
Vermont moms help each other out in Facebook group
Parents in the group not only trade formula but also post tips and share pictures of formula supplies at different stores across the state of Vermont to help their fellow moms in need. Parents in the Facebook group can also make urgent requests if they are close to running out of formula supplies.
The national formula shortage may not be grabbing the headlines like before, but it is still ongoing as low supplies persist in the country, according to CNN.
The issue started last winter when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) shut down a major formula plant operated by Abbott Laboratories in Sturgis, Michigan, and issued a recall because of concerns over potential bacterial contamination in the facility.
The closure and COVID pandemic-related supply chain issues drastically decreased formula stock in the United States. The shortage worsened by May, with Abbott saying back then that formula supplies would take weeks or months to stabilize.
Biden administration dealing with formula shortage
The Biden administration attempted to ease the nationwide shortage by importing formula from other countries and working with retailers to boost store supplies. Despite these measures, progress has been painfully slow.
According to data from the White House, formula sales nationwide in August increased by roughly 7 percent compared to last year, but shortage woes remain.
During the nationwide shortage, the Vermont Facebook group is one of the dozens of local and national formula networks that have mushroomed across social media platforms. Formula Train, a popular Facebook group, has 1,300 members in the United States. The group enforces strict rules to minimize price gouging and scams. Formula Exchange Group, which boasts 24,000 members, relies strictly on parent-to-parent formula swaps.
