DO you think it's okay to steal baby formula?

Oh my God that is very sad. Being a mom, I can understand how a parent feels about not being able to feed his/her baby. But still,stealing is not good and I would feel very bad about giving my baby something that I stole. I am sure there are a lot of agencies that someone can approach for help. US is lucky to have WIC and food stamp programs. In the Philippines, there is no such thing. SO I guess the best solution is family planning. Have kids only when you think you are able to provide for your baby's needs.

WOW that is a tough one. In 1 way I can understand where the store is coming from they are losing money from thos people who are steeling the formula but at the same time thos babies are now going to go hungry or the parents have to turn some where else to steel it. honestly I am torn on this one.

That is a tough question and can see both point of views on stealing baby formula. The people that are stealing the formula are just trying to feed their babies and do not want them to starve. On the other hand, stealing is wrong and illegal and they could go to jail for it. Plus by stealing you are hurting other parents who have children to feed who go to that particular store. They need to find other ways to feed their babies, like get a job or jobs or welfare or something like that.

Wow...I've been in all situations. I nursed my children, but sometimes my supply would diminish at around the 6-9 month because of this situation or that situation. There was a time when I was on WIC. But, they supplied me with way too much food. I see families going through the lines with more food than my family would eat in three months. I'm sure some of that gets wasted. There have been times when money was so scares, I would be tempted to steal the formula just to feed my baby. But luckily I've never had to do that. G-d has provided me with family that helps me every now and then. A couple times when we've ran out of formula, I would make a very watery drink of baby cereal for him and that tied him over. Hey, you gotta do what you've gotta do. We'll always have the poor with us, but we'll also have criminals. Ever saw the movie "John Doe"? The father held up the hospital that should have given his son the transplant.

It's not the only baby formula that a stolen very often but also weight formula so to say that powder you can put in your milk to get a weight loss shake. And also what gets behind locked doors or shaving blades. I don't know what will become of all the babies that didn't get the proper feeding they need, but there are so many items that are thrils for shoplifters all the time. Just to protect the income of the shop I surely believe that it is necessary to put those items behind a locked glass cupboard. I only can hope that people that don't have that much money will think twice before spending the money on things they don't really need, so there will be more money left for baby formula.

Stealing is really bad, but I understand when someone is really in need and couldn't get any help - still it's not the best way out. I am proud to say that I nurse my baby and it's more convenient. I'd be in guilt if I give up nursing. That should have been the first choice of those parents who are not willing to buy formula or those who can't afford it.

We all have our bad moments. I have never stolen anything, but I have been in a rocky situation with my sister. She needed formula and my husband was out of town and we had no money and she said she needed formula and that the baby only had enough for one more bottle and at that time in her life, she had no one but family, but at that time everyone was broke. She said she was going to steal the formula and I told her to just go knock on the neighbors door and get some formula but she didn't want to, she thought they would look down on her. I ended up calling the fire station and told them my situation, they came over with 3 boxes full of formula for my sister. So there is always a way. You don't have to steal. People can always get help if they look hard enough. No one is going to see a baby starve at a police station or fire station. SOmetimes even the grocery store will help out, sometimes, but I know fore sure that the fire station does. :)

That is tough, and while I loathe to see a child suffer because its parents weren't ready to bring it into the world, I also think it's time people started taking responsibility for their actions. If you really think about it, the bulk of people stealing formula are probably selling it after they steal it, and not using it to feed their babies. It's a weird world we live in.

I think that it is wrong to steal anything. However, if it was my baby that was hungry I don't know what I would do. If people are reading this please note : THE FOOD BANKS NEED THINGS LIKE FORMULA, BABY FOOD, AND DIAPERS. These are the things that I try to donate. They also need the KD and Mr. Noodles, but these are given by the caseload. If you can afford an extra can of formula please donate. There is no reason that a baby should starve in todays world of excess and luxery.

personaly i think it is a sad state of affairs in this country when a person has to stoop to this to feed their children we the country that holds out hands to other countries to help them cant even help our own ??why???

That is a tough question. I know we have been in really tight situations and didn't have hardly any money left to buy groceries-it is a scary thing when you have kids!! But we are on WIC (thankfully!!!) so I didn't worry about formula too much (we still had to buy 5 or more cans a month because my son drank so much!!) We could have always not paid a bill though to ge formula or food, and I think other families could do that also. But then some people have literally nothing after paying rent so I don't know....that is too hard to say!!

I never even thought about the fact that this could exist. I think its terrible to steal and yet I know that if I was in a sitution where my baby was starving I would definitely think about doing it myself. In our town there are so many opportunities to get extra baby items, we have a food bank with no food stamps required, my mommy group is non-profit and we take in clothing, toys, food and bottles for moms who can't afford them to take home. I think more of these programs should exist since some people just can't afford the outrageous prices of things nowadays. I wish I could do more but I'm obviously not rich, I'm a single mom and yet I am lucky that I have family to help me out and enough money to live. Thanks for the great post, it really makes you think about how lucky we are.

I am right there with you on this one. We all know stealing is not morally right but on the other hand, would you not do anything it took to feed your baby? Who's to say if I would of been facing the same situation when mine were little, I would not have done it. I suppose I would have but luckily I was not in that position. And to throw my bleeding heart in there it is kind of sickening the things the country spends it's money on and there are people in this country who feel the need to steal baby formula.

I think that stealing is always wrong. Although I feel badly for people who feel they need to steal formula, I am sure that many of them could afford it if they cut back in other areas. No doubt, formula is expensive, I think that is part of the problem. I think that the manufacturers take advantage of the fact that we want to buy what we think is best for our babies and that our babies need it.

well, for me stealing for whatever purpose is still wrong and it is an offence to do so... if a mother is so desperate to feed her baby while she doesn't have the money to buy the baby formula, it is better for her to speak directly to the store's manager and explain her situation rather than stealing... who know the manager might open his/her heart and give her the baby formula for free... it is better to ask rather than steal and get caught... if she is put in jail, the situation will be worst as she won't have access to her baby anymore... also, i think the person should try harder to find a job or seek government help...

This is tough indeed. Morally speaking it's wrong to steal, no matter what it may be, but on the other hand, babies need formula and mothers who need to feed their babies will do whatever it takes to make sure they get fed. I personally think that baby formula is too expensive. I remember paying something like £7 a tin in the UK before I qualified for Milk Tokens which allowed me to get free formula. I would have to say that for a desperate mother who sees no other way, I could not find it in my heart to punish her for trying to do whats best for her child.

It's hard to judge someone for stealing to feed their baby. I don't know that I wouldn't do the same if I had to. Morally and ethically it's wrong, but formula is so expensive that it is unaffordable for some people. But then the manufacturers probably could care less about the hungry babies, they are a business and out to make a buck. I saw that same practice at one of the grocery stores here and I wondered about it, but then this area has a real poor job market and a lot of poor people.

If my kids were starving Id steal to make them full. I feel bad for people that have to question where their next babys bottle is coming from.

I think that stealing is wrong no matter what it is. yes I do feel bad for those people that can't afford it, but there are other alternatives rather than stealing. First nothing good comes out of stealing, and second it is not fair to those who actually pay for the formula. I feel horrible for families that can't afford it, but there has to be another alternative. I also doubt that the reason it is locked up is because people that can't afford it are stealing it. Its is most likely people that can afford it, but just don't feel like paying that much for baby formula. Most of the time that is the way it goes. The person without money will work harder and do it the right way while the person with money will make it easier, but in doing so do it the wrong way.

I feel sorry for thoes babies who are going without because their parents cannot afford the formula. I do not believe that every can of baby formula that has been stolen was stolen out of need. I think some cans of formula have been stolen because the taker wanted to sell it. I know at the hospital were I use to work a person was fired from the stock room for steeling the free baby packs that new mothers get. He was selling the packs. Cans of formula can be pocketed and sold easily to those people who want to get formula at a cheeper rate. I know people who can afford paying full cost for their formula have bought it from people who are selling it at the black market.