A mother desperately in need of baby formula in the middle of the night turned to 911 for help, and Utah police say officers responded to the non-traditional emergency with the supplies she needed.

Shannon Bird, of Alpine, told USA TODAY on Wednesday that the moment she called 911 around 2 a.m. on Jan. 28 was was one of lowest of her life.

An advocate for breast feeding, Bird found herself suddenly unable to produce milk, likely due in part to medication she was taking. She had depleted her supply of milk stored in her freezer more quickly than she expected and found herself about to be unable to feed her 6-week-old daughter in the middle of the night.

988:Suicide prevention hotline to have three-digit number for mental health emergencies

The dispatcher knew:Daughter's 911 call for pizza was actually a domestic violence report.

It was a stressful time — her husband was out of town; one of her five children had a broken leg; she was dealing with health problems and was under doctor's orders not to lift anything heavier than her newborn.

The family was also dealing with lice in the home.

Feeling physically unable to load the children into the car and with no neighbors answering her pleas for help, she called 911.

"I don't even know what to do. This is like so stupid . . . I can't make any milk for her right now, and I have no formula, and I have no idea how I can get formula to her," she tearfully told a 911 dispatcher, wondering if an officer could watch her children while she made an emergency run to the store.

"I've never been in this predicament ever."

The local police department says people in a similar situation should feel free to make that same call.

"We recommend as a department, if someone feels they are having an emergency or need police assistance then call us," wrote Lone Peak Police Department spokesperson Dave Ventrano in an emailed statement.

"We'll then contact them and see if we can help with a resolution to their problem."

In this case, police were able to help.

Bird said at first two officers responded by bringing her cow's milk from the store. When they realized that wasn't what she needed, they went back to buy baby formula. When they delivered it, they refused her offers to pay them back.

Internet shaming:White people who police people 'simply for being black'

Since the story has gained national attention, not all of the responses Bird has received have been positive, she said. It's a situation she described as "humiliating," with some questioning the legitimacy of her emergency.

Typically, 911 should only be called in the case of a crisis such as a fire, crime, car crash or medical issue, according to 911.gov.

But for people like Bird who aren't sure if their situation is truly an emergency, the site advises to call anyway: "If you’re not sure whether the situation is a true emergency, officials recommend calling 911 and letting the call-taker determine whether you need emergency help."