Vulnerable Metro Vancouver moms in need of baby feeding supplies
A non-profit that helps vulnerable families across Metro Vancouver is feeling the impact of the rising costs of baby formula and breast pumps.
Meghan Neufeld, the executive director of BabyGoRound, said more mothers are requesting breast pumps than ever before.
“There has been a shortage of infant formula, which has driven the cost of formula up by about 20 per cent and the rate of breast pumps up 24 per cent,” she said.
As a result, Neufeld says there’s been a 70 per cent spike in the number of referrals for women in need breast pumps
On average, families spend between $400 and $800 a month on baby formula, according to Neufeld.
She says some mothers rely on breast pumps when they are having difficulty breastfeeding, which can result from latching issues or medical complications.
“People assume that breastfeeding is going to be the easy and free way to feed your child,” Neufeld said. “Unfortunately, it's not the reality for all moms.”
She added that research has shown, breastfeeding is more difficult for the most vulnerable mothers.
“Study shows that women who are considered food insecure are less likely to be able to breastfeed than those who are not considered food insecure. So what this means is that the women who really need that benefit of being able to feed their child in a free way, don't have that as an option—and it's not for a lack of trying,” she explained.
Manual breast pumps costs about $50 and electric ones costs at least $150.
BabyGoRound accepts donations for most baby equipment through its website, but it cannot accept gently used breast pumps.
“We have to pay for each of the breast pumps that we give out. It's hard for us to be able to keep up with those numbers,” she said.
That’s why the charity is raising awareness on the issue and requesting financial help from the community, because it does not want to turn away a desperate mother and her hungry baby.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus survives vote calling for his ouster
Greg Fergus survived a vote to oust him as House of Commons Speaker on Tuesday, but with close to half of MPs expressing a loss of confidence in him, he faces a precarious path forward in maintaining order in Parliament.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
Black bear kebabs make family sick with parasitic worms
It was supposed to be a celebration, but one family’s unique meal of black bear meat sent several members to the hospital instead.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.