Baby Formula Shortage Forces Connecticut Mothers to go to the Extreme

Moms are still struggling to get baby formula after a recall on Similac earlier in the year.

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Mothers around Connecticut are on the hunt for baby formula, and they say the shortage has only gotten worse.

Diana Torres, mother of a 5-month-old little girl named Mila, said trying to find her daughter's formula in stores and online has been an absolute nightmare.

While she hasnt seen much formula, she said she's seen what appears to be a concerning, yet growing trend online.

"What I do see is people selling it overpriced, they're taking advantage of the situation and they're going and grabbing what they can find and selling it to people who do need it for double or triple the price it costs," Torres said.

After scanning the internet, we found a 3-pack of Similac baby formula sold for $238 plus an additional $20 for shipping on EBay.

It sells at BJ's wholesale for $138.

"I get it, everybody is trying to make money, but you're making these babies suffer," Torres said.

Dr. Magna Dias, an associate professor at the Yale School of Medicine and pediatrician, said a lot of moms have been going to the extreme.

"Because of the shortage, people will start to dilute the formula to make it last for longer and that can lead to an extremely dangerous condition called Hyponatremia, where inside the baby's blood, they don't have the nutrients they need and they can actually have a seizure because of that," Diaz said.

Doctors give these tips about what parents shouldn't do if they have trouble finding formula:

  • If you cannot find your baby's formula, do not make your own.
  • If you are running low on formula, do not dilute it.
  • If you can't find your formula in stores or online, do not buy it overseas form Facebook or Craigslist.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began investigating Similac's powdered formula following four customer reports of babies contracting serious infections.

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