New Jersey mom starts Facebook group to help parents find hard-to-get baby formula

Hundreds of parents struggling to find baby formula for their children are now turning to social media. This is especially true for those who have babies with special dietary needs.
“That’s all we were finding – one here, one there. And now no stores have it in New Jersey,” says Stephanie Esposito.
The Clark resident says that it has been stressful trying to feed her son Dominic, who is about to turn 8 months old.
“When you are a parent and your job is to provide for your child and feed your child and you can’t – what are you supposed to do? What is a parent supposed to do? There’s nowhere,” Esposito says.
Due to allergies and other sensitivities, Dominic can only use one specific formula – Nutramigen Ready to Feed. Esposito says that her son’s little body can’t take other formulas – meaning that he won’t absorb the nutrients he needs. The family has been able to find the Nutramigen formula thanks in part to family members in other states, but Esposito says she is worried that it won’t last.
“It’s very heartbreaking. What do you do? I can’t imagine opening my cabinet and seeing no formula in there,” Esposito says.
This is why she started a Facebook group called “Formula Finder – NJ,” which asks parents, grandparents or anyone else who wants to help to post what formulas they have found and where.
“Go to this store and take a picture, and now it’s just everywhere in New Jersey and people are finding what they need, which is fantastic,” Esposito says.
The group had 2,400 members in just 10 days.
Anyone can post on the Facebook group, but Esposito is asking that users not buy and sell formula there. She says she hopes that it will keep scammers from taking advantage of desperate parents.