C is 10.5 months old now, and I am still nursing. To be clear, I have been under-producing compared to his consumption since I returned to work, so by now we are supplementing 50% of his daily feeds with formula. But in case you haven’t already heard, there is a massive formula shortage nationwide, with 1 in 5 states tracking at 90% out-of-stock. So all these moms survived the gauntlet of having a “pandemic baby” with various waves of danger during pregnancy and Baby’s infancy, only to now face the anxiety of, you know, questioning whether Baby can physically be fed after supply chain and regulatory failings. If you’ve never heard the phrase “tough as a mother…” well, now you know.

Suffice it to say, though I considered officially weaning off nursing almost 6 weeks ago, I determined I would not further contribute to the shortage when I can still produce milk.

This very small act of solidarity with my fellow moms got me thinking about the many small but meaningful ways moms look out for each other. Here are some memorable instances in my own experience. Add to the list if you have other examples!

1. A porch-dropped meal (or — real talk — baggie of assorted adult beverages and sheet face masks) when you tell your girl friends that you’re solo parenting while your spouse travels, or have a nasty illness making its way through your kids’ immune systems, or are just having a week.
   
   
2. All of the priceless Mother’s Day gifts that were indeed made by your own child, but clearly crafted under the supervision and prompting of another woman in your life; someone who took her time and resources to help facilitate a magical moment for you.
   
   
3. The women who smile kindly and seemingly without judgment as your sons go barreling past them at dangerous speeds, channeling their inner hedgehogs after recently viewing the Sonic movie (may or may not have happened in the last 24 hours).
   
   
4. The many times that — even while “off duty” — moms are on alert for any kid’s safety. I was on a run this week and saw a woman across the street mowing the grass. A ball from a neighborhood soccer game rolled out of bounds into the street, its player close behind, as a delivery truck approached. Though the driver was alert and stopped well in advance, I saw the way she — like I — tensed up, turned her torso in the direction of the street, and visibly braced to jump into line of sight for the driver if he hadn’t started braking immediately.
   
   
5. Among the most undervalued acts of solidarity: the women who walk out of the public restrooms with their hands still damp after washing, having chosen not to use the air dryer that clearly terrifies small children and otherwise results in my sons shouting in panic, cupping their hands over their ears as though someone just triggered an exceptionally localized sonic boom.