Daily Skimm Weekend: Double, double, toil and trouble

Skimm’d while jamming out May 21, 2022 [Read in browser]( [theSkimm Logo] Daily Skimm [Weekend with bird, book and radio]( Skimm’d while [jamming out]( What's Happening …in your iPhone: To period track or not to [period track](? …in your Saturday plans: A “[hot-girl walk](.” …in your TikTok feed: [Sister acts](. #Blessed. …in your watchlist: “[Conversations with Friends](” and “[Love on the Spectrum](.” Plus, [five must-see movies](. (Still) Out of Stock Design: Minhee Kim | Photos: iStock Baby Steps: This week, [the FDA](, [the Biden admin](, and [Congress]( all took steps to address the baby formula shortage. Meaning help is on the way — but it’ll take “[a few weeks](.” Which has parents asking, ‘[What about now](?’ The Story Most infants in the US (read: 3 out of 4) use formula during their first six months. But by early May, [more than 40%]( of formula in the US was [out of stock](. That means what used to be quick runs to the store have devolved into frantic [scavenger hunts]( for parents. Including… - Jasmine Morgan, mom of a 6-month-old daughter and a 3-year-old son: “This month, I've traveled to about five different stores to find her milk,” she said. “I get to a store and I see it, and it's like four or five cans left on the shelf.” - Katee Ames, mom of a 6-month-old son: On a recent trip, her husband could only find a small container of formula for $35. “It just makes me really worried about making sure [my son is] getting the calorie intake that he's supposed to.” - Berenice Ramirez, mom of an 8-month-old son: “I really didn't think that it would come to this point where you are scrambling to find formula for your child,” she said. “I feel like it's Black Friday all over again.” - Anna Stinauer, a mom-to-be, is just as worried: “I was watching the news with my husband…he was asking, ‘Wait, should we be getting formula? Should we be stocking up?’ Which would never have been something we would've thought to do in advance.” It’s a crisis for everyone — and especially hard for [low-income parents](. So, many parents have had to look for alternatives… Go on. Some have asked friends, family, even [complete strangers]( for milk. Though, the American Academy of Pediatrics has said to be careful about unregulated sharing, since it’s hard to be sure of quality and safety. (Note: Online marketplaces are especially [risky](.) And experts have also [warned against]( making your own formula — or watering down batches to stretch them out. But there are safe options… Such as? [Milk banks](. They’re orgs that collect breast milk from moms and handle it safely for others to use. That’s usually for babies with specific medical needs. But these days, there’s been a surge of interest and donations. So if you’re looking for a formula alternative, it’s worth a call to [your local milk bank](. Depending on your state and your health insurance, it might be covered. Otherwise, it can get pricey (think: $3 to $5 per ounce). Another possibility for some women is [relactation](, or resuming breastfeeding. But that often takes a lot of time (think: nursing and/or pumping about six hours a day for about six weeks). Plus, it may require guidance from lactation consultants, and [may not be an option]( for everyone. theSkimm In recent weeks, the costs of motherhood (whether financial, physical, personal) have been on the minds of women across the country. This shortage highlights just how thin the safety net is for moms and babies. PS: To read more about the moms in this story — and other families impacted by the baby formula shortage — [click here](. [Facebook]([Twitter]([Email](mailto:?body=How moms are coping with the baby formula shortage #theSkimm%0A3Ftype%3Demailurl%26r%3DSKIMM%26utm_source%3Demail%26utm_medium%3Ddsshare%23still-out-of-stock) Bookmark'd The weekend means more time to do the things you love. For many of us, that’s reading. But we can’t Skimm it all for you. So instead, we’re giving you a look at the reads we’ve saved, texted, and emailed to our friends… [Which Women Do We Choose to Believe?](...a look at why public opinion seems so firmly against Amber Heard. [DeafBlind Communities May Be Creating a New Language of Touch](...how one movement’s practice caught the attention of linguists. [When Wedding Crashers Are Welcome Guests](...these days, many couples won’t object to strangers stopping by. [Facebook]([Twitter]([Email](mailto:?body=Here are your weekend long reads #theSkimm%0A3Ftype%3Demailurl%26r%3DSKIMM%26utm_source%3Demail%26utm_medium%3Ddsshare%23custom) Downtime Design: theSkimm | Photo: Pexels Downtime doesn’t have to mean doing nothing. Here’s one idea for making the most of your weekend. OK, bloomer. If you’re looking for a way to make the most of spring’s sunny days, consider [gardening](. The hobby can help improve your overall [health and happiness](, and there are options [for just about any space](. If you’re a city dweller, consider growing a whole bunch of herbs (think: basil, parsley, dill) indoors with a product like the [AeroGarden](. Or, if you have a whole backyard, try turning your space into [a full-on wildlife oasis](. (Just make sure you have everything you’ll need — including [essential tools](, [a flexible hose](, even some [cushioned support](.) You dig? [Facebook]([Twitter]([Email](mailto:?body=Why you should root for gardening #theSkimm%0A3Ftype%3Demailurl%26r%3DSKIMM%26utm_source%3Demail%26utm_medium%3Ddsshare%23custom) Eyes On: The 2022 Midterms Design: theSkimm The midterm elections have a big impact on the policies that affect our day-to-day lives. So we’re here to help you [Skimm Your Ballot](. And Skimm what’s going on next week… State(s) of Play: On [Tuesday, May 24](, there are [primary elections]( in [Alabama]( (Governor, Senate, House), [Arkansas]( (Governor, Senate, House), [Georgia]( (Governor, Senate, House), and [Minnesota]( (House). As well as a handful of primary runoff elections in [Texas](. The Talkers: - Georgia flipped the Senate blue in the last election, so all eyes are on whether [Sen. Raphael Warnock]( (D) can [keep his seat]( against challenger [Herschel Walker]( (R). Meanwhile, the [GOP gubernatorial primary]( has everyone's attention: Gov. Brian Kemp — who's now on former President Donald Trump’s [bad side]( — is facing a Trump-backed challenge from former Sen. David Perdue. Whoever wins will go head-to-head with [Democrat Stacey Abrams](, who’s [running uncontested](. - In Texas, voters are heading back to the polls to settle a few important scores. Including the GOP primary runoff for [attorney general](, in which incumbent Ken Paxton is being challenged by George P. Bush (yes, another Bush). - Speaking of candidates with political fams…in Arkansas, Trump’s former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders is [favored to win]( the GOP race for governor. PS: The results of these elections are up to the voters. Click [here]( to learn more about how to make your vote count. [Facebook]([Twitter]([Email](mailto:?body=All eyes on the 2022 midterm elections #theSkimm%0A3Ftype%3Demailurl%26r%3DSKIMM%26utm_source%3Demail%26utm_medium%3Ddsshare%23custom) Skimm Picks Here are today’s recs to help you live a smarter life… 1. An iced coffee that’ll work twice as hard. This Wednesday (aka [Dunkin’ Iced Coffee Day](), Dunkin’ is donating $1 to the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation® for every iced coffee purchased. So your fueling up gives back. Psst…order [here]( to skip the line. How brew-tiful.* 2. 30% off all swim styles at Everlane this weekend. Yep, you read that right. Grab a [few new suits]( while the sale lasts. And check out [our roundup of swimsuits]( that will last season after season. 3. Our newest reviews in our Skimm Tested series. We dove into which desk chairs are worthy of your WFH setup. And tested the [Branch Daily chair]( and the [Flexispot Sit2Go fitness chair](. Psst...Both have Skimm-exclusive discounts for a limited time. *PS: This is a sponsored post. Skimm More More Skimm, more knowledge. Here’s what else we covered this week… - [Debanhi Escobar’s case]( puts a spotlight on Mexico’s escalating gender violence - Starbucks and other companies are [helping employees access abortions]( - [Setting the record straight]( on the COVID-19 vaccine and fertility - [AAPI wins]( in media and entertainment, Skimm’d - Dolly Parton shares [her perfect playlist]( Save the Date Like ours, your work and personal calendars are probably hectic. So here are some events you should know about... The final round of the [PGA Championship](. Who will tee off: [Tiger](. Who won’t: [Phil](. The [2022 French Open]( begins. Sure to be a raquette. In Studio with "9 to 5ish" featuring Eva Longoria. Sign up [here](. We're kicking things off at 1 pm ET. The start of Memorial Day weekend. Celebrate the unofficial beginning of summer with lots of [grilling](. And [shopping](. PS: Want more events like this on your cal? theSkimm App gives you a heads-up on when everything from holidays to sports games to awards shows are going down. Download it [here](. [Facebook]([Twitter]([Email](mailto:?body=Four things to add to your cal this week #theSkimm%0A3Ftype%3Demailurl%26r%3DSKIMM%26utm_source%3Demail%26utm_medium%3Ddsshare%23custom) theSkimm Loyalty Program theSkimm We’ll donate $1 to the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation® (hint: a nonprofit that brings joy to kids battling illness in local hospitals across the country) for every Loyalty Program member that downloads the Dunkin’ app through their member dashboard by [Dunkin’ Iced Coffee Day]( (psst…that’s May 25). Drink good, do good. [Join theSkimm Loyalty Program today](. Skimm'd by Rasheeda Campbell, Maria del Carmen Corpus, Xian Chiang-Waren, Melissa Goldberg, Maria McCallen, Kamini Ramdeen-Chowdhury, and Clem Robineau Subscribe Listen [Daily Skimm ❯]( Today’s headlines, Skimm’d [Skimm This ❯]( This week’s news, Skimm’d [Skimm Money ❯]( The week’s news and your $ [9 to 5ish with theSkimm ❯]( Our weekly career podcast [Skimm Your Life ❯]( Shopping recs, reads, and more [Pop Cultured with theSkimm ❯]( Weekly pop culture podcast Download [theSkimm App ❯]( The app for all things Skimm [app store icon]( [Instagram]([TikTok]([LinkedIn]([Twitter]([Facebook]( [theSkimm.com]( Skimm’d something we missed? skimmthis@theskimm.com Issues? help@theskimm.com [Advertise with us]( | [Careers]( [See our full sponsor agreement]( | [Unsubscribe]( Copyright (c) 2022 theSkimm, All rights reserved. TheSkimm, Daily Skimm, and all Skimm-based marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of TheSkimm, Inc. 50 West 23rd Street, Suite 5B, New York, NY 10010