The national baby formula shortage has forced mothers and families of infants to inquire about other ways to feed their babies. One such option is receiving breast milk from local trusted milk banks.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, which operates the only milk depot in Queens, was asked to discuss this topic with the media in an effort to provide important information about how women can donate (and potentially receive donor breast milk) and provide safety tips on substitute feeding methods. Ivis Penalver, a certified lactation consultant and Assistant Director of WIC conducted two separate interviews, one with Spanish broadcast television station Univision and the other with WPIX 11 news.

The first and most important point Ivis wanted to convey was the difference between a milk bank and a milk depot.  Milk banks can collect, process, and redistribute breast milk to hospitals and individuals, while milk depots, like the one at Jamaica Hospital, work with milk banks as a location where breast milk can be collected and stored, but cannot process and distribute.

In addition, Ivis advised mothers not to dilute baby formula, avoid substituting it with other types of formula without checking with their doctor, and refrain from accepting donor breast milk from anywhere but a milk bank as these practices can be dangerous for babies.

Lastly, Ivis shared information about the increase in milk donations from women in the community. One such woman explained in her interview with WPIX how her desire to help those in need inspired her to become a donor.

To see the full WPIX interview, click below: