CLEVELAND, Ohio-In Ohio, recent power outages have caused significant challenges for new parents. Jocelyn Lewis, who recently had a baby and was recovering from surgery, struggled with preserving her breast milk without power, feeling distressed about the potential waste. Similarly, Joshua and Makenna Brogan, new parents with a week’s-old baby, faced difficulties with preserving $1,000 worth of groceries and managing their breast milk supply. They used coolers with ice packs to keep their milk and food from spoiling. Both families were fortunate to have supportive relatives nearby who helped them store their supplies. OhioHealth Mother’s Milk Bank provided advice on preserving breast milk during outages, such as not opening the freezer, keeping a small amount of milk in a refrigerator freezer, and using ice and coins to monitor freezer temperatures. They also noted that human milk can be safely refrozen if it still has ice crystals.
