Fun with Infant Formula
Posted by realityrounds on August 3, 2009
A lot of my postpartum nurse friends have been telling me of some strange happenings in the hospitals lately. Every hospital receives free postpartum formula, or “nursing” bags from the formula companies. Free formula, diapers, pacifiers, etc, provided to new mothers in the hospital, is the best form of advertisement. If a mom receives pampers in the hospital, she will most likely use them for the entirety of her baby’s infantdom.
These formula bags are basically diaper bags were moms can stuff all their mom stuff in. The bag includes a large container of powdered formula, with a six pack of ready feed, liquid bottles. My postpartum nurse colleagues have been saying that these bags often have the container of powdered formula missing. Hmmmmm, very curious. What could be happening?
Well, this is my theory. It has been reported that one of the most shop lifted items in retail stores such as Walmart, is powdered infant formula. Why is this? It is not for infant nutrition (Pollyanna). Apparently powdered infant formula is a great way to cut drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Makes sense. We are in a recession, and street drugs are expensive. Why not dilute these drugs with an organic, digestible product, to cut down on drug dealing costs. Those drug dealers are such entrepreneurs. It has also been rumored that moms who are exclusively breastfeeding, but request WIC forms for formula, actually sell the powdered formula to their neighborhood business men. Good times.
Am I being a paranoid cynic, or is anyone else seeing a run on powdered formula?
*Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week*
RR
atyourcervix said
I had no clue that formula is used to cut drugs. Shows how naive I am!
Joy said
I think it is totally plausible and honestly, what is really going on. That, and because formula is so expensive I’m sure some people steal it just to feed their babies. So sad, both cases, but so true.
pinky said
No, you are not being cynical. YOu cannot help it. Being a nurse will do this to you. Not your fault.
pinky said
Off Topic here. I just wanted to share with you that I wrote a long post and Google blogger won’t post it. Keeps giving me error messages. So I am feeling a bit of angst.
Kathy said
Yeah, I had noticed your blog is no longer online — was missing it. There’s a max # of characters allowed (about 4100) in a Blogger comment; maybe break it up into 2 comments? A lot of times, I mess up the html text, which gives an error msg. If you want me to help you troubleshoot, you can email me.
realityrounds said
Thanks Kathy,
.
I did not have any advice
Pinky, If you want to just email me the comment, or attach a word document, and I can post it if you like. No need for angst.
pinky said
I fixed it. Kathy I am Pinkys-trinkets.blogspot.com now. I think I am addicted to blogging? I wonder if there is a support group for that.
I am just not telling anyone in my personal life that I am blogging again. It had disasterous implications at work. But then again, I don’t work there anymore so why should I worry?
Kathy said
I’m sure there is a support group for blogging. On Blogspot or WordPress somewhere.
I don’t blame you about wanting to remain anonymous. As the saying goes, the only way to keep a secret is not to tell *anyone*. I like your trinkets — very pretty.
Rahel said
Hopefully this makes you feel better: that’s an urban legend. I just looked around on the DEA’s website in fact to be sure I remembered right. Most stolen formula is fenced, not used for drugs. Think about how many far less expensive things could be used in a similar way, drug dealers would use those instead, easier to steal, easier to obtain.
I do know many breastfeeding mothers give away the free formula, either via freecycle or craigslist, or directly to a food bank.
realityrounds said
I love urban legends! You explanation makes perfect sense. So no one is snorting up powdered formula. Ick.
pinky said
Yes, they are probably cutting it with something much more toxic.
Erin said
I work at WIC as a breastfeeding peer counselor. I believe a lot of our clients get the formula package and sell it on craigslist or ebay. It’s really frustrating.
Akiko said
Mannitol used to be the big thing to cut coke with. Problem was it is a laxative and gives you the majors poops, bad. Formula is too sweet to cut drugs with. It would gum up in the nose if snorted and will not go into solution well enough to shoot it. Lumps are deadly. Formula is so expensive that poor mothers will buy it off the streets. When you are working at the local fast food place you dont have time to go pump. They need formula. 20 bucks a can and that lasts a toddler a few days.