Babies have very limited options about what they can eat. For some mothers and babies, breastfeeding is all that is needed, but in many cases, mothers are either not able to breastfeed their babies or they need to do a combination of breastfeeding and formula feeding.

In case you don’t already know, right now in the United States there is a formula shortage. Remember the toilet paper shortage of 2020? That’s what parents of babies are experiencing right now with formula. The difference is that many babies need formula in order to survive. It’s not like toilet paper where there are other potential alternatives.

Next time you go to the grocery store or a big box store like Target or Walmart, take a peek down the aisle where formula is supposed to be. You will most likely see mainly empty shelves. If they are stocked, they probably won’t be that way for long. We’ve seen moms online sharing pictures of store shelves when formula gets restocked, and we’re pretty sure the moms who desperately need that formula are running to the store and buying it before it’s gone.

Kayzie Weedman is a mom of two. Her youngest is her daughter Palmer who desperately needs formula. This mom has friends and family in other states looking for the specific type of formula she needs every time they go to the store. Even still, she has traveled as far as two hours away just to buy formula for her daughter.

Weedman explained to BuzzFeed, “My daughter, Palmer, is on a hypoallergenic formula due to a slew of allergies that she has. She has a cow’s milk protein allergy, a gluten allergy, a soy allergy, and a goat’s milk allergy. She does not have the ability to switch to any formula that is left on the shelf because MOST formulas have all of her allergens and she breaks out in a horrible rash that turns into boils and scabs, she has trouble breathing and wheezing, and she constantly throws up.”

Weedman wanted others to understand the severity of the formula shortage and how it’s impacting her family, so she created a now viral TikTok where she shows what store shelves look like and how her daughter reacts when she has to make due with formula that she is allergic to.

@momofrory Excuse my makeup less crying face 🥺 this #formulashortage is so scary. #formulamilk #formulacrisis #formulafeeding #formulafed #fyp #fypシ ♬ original sound – Kayzie Weedman

Many moms who commented on Weedman’s TikTok sympathized with her and shared her stress about the formula shortage.

One mom wrote, “This really breaks my heart. I’m blessed enough to be able to breastfeed but the mommas that can’t I think about you all every single day.”

Another mom shared, “I so understand. Me and my daughter went to 10 different stores for my nephew and no luck.”

Then there were the moms who went above and beyond. They didn’t just want to help her, they actually did. Multiple people went to their local stores, found the exact formula Weedman needs for her daughter and mailed it to her.

One mom wrote, “I searched the comments for the formula you need! I can overnight 7 cans of up and up the orange one for target‼️‼️‼️‼️”

Another comment reads, “I live in Australia we have heaps of formula here, I can ship some to you don’t know how long it would take though.”

Another mom asked, “What do you need – I travel for work and happy to look a all the states and send it to you.”

Weedman shared on Facebook that she now has enough formula to last 3 months. She is beyond grateful, and she urges others to help out by looking for formula for moms who need it; however, she cautions against panic buying since that only makes the shortage worse for others.

Do you know anyone who is struggling to find formula for their baby right now? If so, reach out, ask what kind of formula they need, and look for it when you go shopping. If you see it in stock, buy a can. If you are searching for formula, reach out to family and friends to let them know what you are looking for. Stores in other areas and states might be stocked.