Mason is 14 months old and was born 11 weeks early with brain damage and has cerebral palsy. Mason also has stomach issues and has switched formulas five different times to find one that doesn’t upset his stomach. “It’s really a hit or miss when it comes to formula,” Alexandra, 24, said.
Mason goes through one can about every two days. His formula costs around $25 a can, costing Alexandra about $100 a week. Right now, Alexandra has family members shipping formula cans that they find to her home in Iowa City from states including Florida, Arizona, and Kansas.
Alexandra said she could not provide enough breast milk for that to be a source of food for Mason, so needs the formula to be able to feed her son. Currently, Mason gets his food through a tube.
Alexandra takes care of her daughter Lily, 3, as well as Mason on her own. Alexandra and Mason’s father separated shortly after Mason was born. Alexandra said she could not provide enough breast milk for that to be a source of food for Mason, so needs the formula to be able to feed her son. Currently, Mason gets his food through a tube.
Alexandra cleans Mason’s tubes and applies new bandages to him every morning. “When you sign up to be a parent, you sign up for whatever that might look like,” Alexandra said.
Before heading out to stores, Alexandra checks websites, apps, and even calls grocery stores to see if they have the formula made for sensitive stomachs that Mason uses. She said she sometimes calls about 10 stores before one store says they have a can or two. “The world should not be working like this,” Alexandra said.
Alexandra said this shortage is unacceptable and worries for other parents who struggle to feed their kids. “It gets to the point where it’s like, what are we supposed to feed our kids?”
Alexandra said she is scared to think about times when she is running low on formula. “I’m scared that I’m not going to be able to feed my kid,” Alexandra said.