JUNE 2 • 2022 | 19

The Nightmare Hunt 
for Baby Formula

babies. Switching formulas abruptly can 
cause stomach bleeds or other health issues 
in some kids … It’s really very scary on the 
ground. Parents are coming out of NICUs 
without the specialized formulas their 
babies need. There are others who are in 
dire situations and have limited options, 
like if their kids have allergies.
”

GLOBAL JEWISH COMMUNITY 
OFFERS ASSISTANCE
Nechama S. of Southfield is one such 
mom: Her 15-month-old son Danny is 
allergic to dairy and soy, among other 
things. When Danny was born, Nechama 
nursed him and eliminated his allergens 
from her own diet, but it didn’t seem to 
be helping him. After a few months, the 
doctor recommended switching him to a 
hypoallergenic Neocate formula instead. 
The Neocate formula was not part 
of the recall, but the entire stock was 
completely snapped up by parents who 
didn’t necessarily need the specialty kind 
but were desperate to feed their babies any 
formula at all. 
“Ensuring my son has the necessary 
nutrients that he needs in order to 
continue to grow and thrive is obviously 
top priority for me,
” Nechama said. 

“I spend a lot of time calling pharmacies 
to see if they have this formula in stock. 
When I ask when their next shipment is 
arriving, no one knows. It’s so worrying, 
especially when I see I’m down to my last 
few cans.
”
Nechama said finding formula has 
been a serious struggle, but the local and 
global Jewish communities have been 
stepping in to help during this crisis. A 
friend who weaned her baby off formula 
gave Nechama her entire leftover stock. 
Complete strangers from Canada and 
even as far as the U.K. have offered to 
ship formula to the United States. These 
donations come at just the right time for 
Nechama. 
“It’s so clear to me that God is showing 
his love and care for me and my family,
” 
said Nechama, who is deeply religious and 
has been finding her spirituality a source 
of strength during this challenging time. “I 
believe everything is in God’s hands, and 
I find it helpful to remember that ‘this too 
shall pass.
’ 
“I don’t know why it’s happening, but 
God must have His reasons and, hopefully, 
we’ll grow from it. Personally, I’m finding 
it inspiring to see how everyone’s trying to 
help each other out.
” 

KIDS WITH MEDICAL CHALLENGES
Shayna Goldner of Oak Park is another 
mom who’s been struggling. Her daughter, 
Chava, 2, is in the 0 percentile for growth, 
has been diagnosed with failure to thrive 
and other challenging medical issues, 
including allergies, and was on a specialty 
hypoallergenic formula almost as a 
medication. 
The day Goldner learned of the recall in 
early February, she put her daughter to bed 
without any formula at all. Chava’s medical 
challenges put Goldner in a sticky spot: 
unlike other babies, she was unable to just 
switch to a more readily available formula 
— it could make her dangerously sick. 
The next day, Goldner spent an entire 
stressful day on the phone, calling her 
pediatrician and WIC, trying to figure 
out what to do. Their gastroenterologist 
suggested switching to Kate Farms formula.
“It was a risk, but it was the only option,
” 
Goldner said and promptly ordered it for 
overnight shipping. There was still no 
available formula for Chava again that 
night, but as she’s older, she was able to eat a 
little food and had other nutritional options. 
Still, Goldner felt terrible and helpless as she 
put her toddler to bed without giving her 
the nutrition she needed. 

continued on page 20

Rachel Moss 
and her family at 
baby Jackson’s 
bris on May 23

