Ohio cop assists frantic mom who drove for hours searching for formula as her breast milk dried up

At 2 a.m. on June 15, an Ohio police officer helped a new mom whose baby was crying from hunger because she couldn’t produce breast milk anymore.

A 911 dispatcher alerted Officer Hunter Willoughby about the distressed mother.

She desperately needed formula for her 1-week-old baby because her breast milk had dried up.

He adds that the woman had been driving around for hours looking for an open store.

Willoughby, a father of two young daughters, empathized deeply with the distressed mother.

He understood the difficulty she faced as her baby cried for hours, reflecting on the intense emotions that come with the early months of parenthood.

“My heart went out to her,” Willoughby says. “She said her baby had been screaming for a couple of hours and I’m a dad — I know how hard that can be. Those first few months are a whirlwind of emotions.”

The officer’s body camera video went viral on Facebook after Chief of Police Mike Mills posted it.

Mills highlighted that it exemplifies the values of the Miami Township police force, even though he doesn’t always know about every action officers take during their shifts.

In the video, Willoughby goes to a closed Meijer supermarket and knocks on the glass door with a flashlight. Despite the late hour, he felt someone might still be there.

His intuition was right, and an employee let him in after he explained the situation.

Willoughby heads straight to the formula aisle, carefully checking the options before choosing one. He also picks up two baby bottles just to be sure.

“I called the mom and told her I’d see her in a couple of minutes,” Willougby says.

Carrying a grocery bag, Willoughby saw the grateful mom holding her small baby. She tried to offer money, but he declined.

Meanwhile, their conversation was brief because the baby needed immediate feeding.

Willoughby highlights his department’s reputation for going above and beyond, citing an example where officers bought a car seat late at night for a parent.

He laments that good deeds often go unnoticed amid negative news, emphasizing that their department is built on helping others.

“I’ve worked with some of the best people I know, through law enforcement,” he adds. “Yes, there are some bad officers. But 99% are good.”

Not being able to feed your baby is one of the most terrifying situations for moms, but how can you produce more breast milk?

To boost milk production naturally, it’s important to understand that the body responds to the baby’s needs by producing milk.

Regularly emptying the breasts encourages more milk production, says Medical News Today.

Here are some tips to enhance milk supply:

1. Aim for frequent feeding sessions, ideally 8–12 times within 24 hours.

2. Consider power pumping for an hour: pump for 10 minutes, rest for 10, and repeat to stimulate milk supply.

3. Apply warm compresses to the breasts before nursing or pumping.

4. Feed the baby whenever they display hunger cues, such as licking lips or bringing hands to their mouth.

5. Express additional milk after breastfeeding.

6. Massage the breasts before, during, and after breastfeeding to stimulate milk flow.

7. If separated from the baby, regularly pump milk every 2–3 hours to maintain milk production.

8. Alternate feeding between both breasts during each session.

9. Consider power pumping for an hour: pump for 10 minutes, rest for 10, and repeat to stimulate milk supply.

10. Seek guidance from a nurse or lactation expert for proper latching and holding techniques.

Factors like rest and nutrition play a role in milk production.

Lifestyle adjustments such as reducing stress, practicing skin-to-skin contact with the baby, staying hydrated with at least 2 liters of water daily, and moderating caffeine intake can help increase milk production.

Avoiding smoking, getting enough rest, and eating balanced meals throughout the day are also beneficial for breast milk production.

Some foods like oatmeal, Gatorade, and lactation cookies are believed to aid production, though scientific evidence is limited.

During breastfeeding, additional calories are recommended by the CDC, totaling 2,000–2,800 daily.

Guidelines suggest 290 mcg of iodine and 550 mcg of choline, found in foods like eggs and seafood for iodine and dairy and meats for choline.

Moreover, consultation with a healthcare provider is advised to determine if supplements are necessary, especially for vegetarians or vegans needing vitamin B12 during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

You can watch Officer Hunter Willoughby’s viral body cam footage below: