Baby Kyle Fetterly who flourished his first year on breast milk after consultation sessions at Nathan Littauer Hospital

Littauer’s Lactation Consultant Nancy Quinlan, RN, IBCLC, left, greets one of the many mothers and young babies she has consulted with about breast feeding

GLOVERSVILLE – On Wednesday, Aug. 3, Littauer celebrated (Aug. 1 through 7) with a reception for breast feeding supporters and new and expectant moms with families. Over 75 were in attendance for the event which offered refreshments and an opportunity for mothers, babies and families to socialize and share stories.

The event was hosted by Littauer’s Lactation Consultant Nancy Quinlan, RN, IBCLC. Littauer’s lactation services allows for a comfortable place for breastfeeding and pregnant families to get professional breastfeeding support, check baby’s weight and milk intake, and connect to community resources.

Quinlan is a Registered Nurse and an International Breastfeeding Certified Lactation Consultant at Littauer. She has helped countless new mothers nurse their babies with breastfeeding classes or one-on-one consultations. By June, Qunlan had already celebrated 50 consultations for the year at Nathan Littauer Hospital.

“Breastfeeding is the one gift that only a mom can give her baby that will have a lifelong effect on them both,” said Quinlan. “Breast milk keeps your baby healthy and breastfeeding keeps the mother healthy.”

“For a small hospital we have a dedicated staff that works timelessly to help support moms who want to breastfeed,” said Littauer VP of Communications and Public Relations, Cheryl McGrattan. “There are many families who have been impacted by our comprehensive breastfeeding services.”

Kelly Fetterlyis a mom of a healthy baby boy named Kyle who is soon to be a one-year old. She has managed to give her son breast milk for his entire first year. This is not so unusual, except that Fetterly has never nursed. Kyle was born pre-mature and was in a neo-natal intensive care unit for 27 hours before she was able to try nursing him. For reasons unknown, Kyle never latched with his mother for feedings.

Determined to give her baby the healthiest start to life that she could, Fetterly was referred to and met with Quinlan at Nathan Littauer Hospital. Together they worked out a plan and Fetterly managed to pump milk for every feeding in Kyle’s first year.

“I don’t know what I would have done without Nancy, she has been emotional reassurance every step of the way,” said Fetterly. “Her patience, time, and advice have made the difference. I think of Nancy as a close friend now, and Kyle adores her.”

This year’s World Breastfeeding Week theme, “Breastfeeding: A Key to Sustainable Development,” was about how breastfeeding is a key element in getting us to think about how to value our wellbeing from the very start of life, how to respect each other, and to care for the world we share.