Portable pods provide comfort to breastfeeding moms Posted on September 21, 2017 by Dakota PikeHere’s a report from News Channel 13 featuring Littauer’s Lactation Consultant, Nancy Quinlan, RN, IBCLC, OSC:Portable pods provide comfort to breastfeeding moms August 03, 2017 06:11 PMA number of events have been held around the Capital Region to commemorate “World Breastfeeding Awareness Week,” including at Nathan Littauer Hospital in Gloversville. A popular item at that event was the Mamava.“Moms are meant to breast feed. Babies can breastfeed,” pointed out Nancy Quinlan, an international board certified lactation consultant at Nathan Littauer Hospital.She admits it’s not always convenient to do so.Enter the Mamava, which in Spanish means “moms on the go.” These portable pods – lactation suites as the company calls them, that can be set up anywhere. They provide moms a clean, safe and private place to breast feed and also pump, which can often be a challenge.“A way to pump in public and be comfortable and not have to be in your car, where it’s steaming hot or anything like that,” noted Melaine Neelis, a mom.“Because with a pump it’s hard to hide everything. Because you kind of have to have your breast exposed, you have to set up the pump,” acknowledged Quinlan.Lack of privacy to pump and unsanitary sites designated for breastfeeding work against efforts to increase breastfeeding. The research is clear, not only is breastfeeding economical for families, it improves the health of both baby and mom. In addition, for working moms, having a place to breastfeed and/or pump is a win for all.“There’s data that supports that they go back to work and they’re happier going back to work ‘cause they have a place to go,” pointed out Lisa Martone with Mamava.That’s part of the Mamava appeal. There are 285 Mamavas in the United States. Nathan Littauer Hospital is hoping to encourage others to consider using them to support breastfeeding moms.Inflatable units can be rented for $150 a day for specific events like concerts and fairs.There are also standalone units of varying size that organizations can purchase to accommodate staff or customers.Bottom line is to normalize breastfeeding and make it more accessible
Littauer celebrates World Breastfeeding Week with an event on Aug. 2 Posted on July 26, 2017 by Dakota PikeThe Birthing Center at Nathan Littauer Hospital, together with Lactation Consultant Nancy Quinlan, RN, IBCLC is celebrating World Breastfeeding Week, (Aug. 1 through 7), with a special event for families. On Aug. 2, from 6 to 8 p.m., Littauer will host a special evening for lactation supporters, new or expectant moms with their families. The event will be held at the Littauer Surgical Center, located in the hospital at 99 E. State St., in Gloversville. Refreshments will be served and mothers are welcome to share their stories and socialize.“This is Littauer’s way of reaching out to the community to celebrate the wellness breastfeeding offers new babies and mothers,” said Cheryl McGrattan, Littauer VP of Marketing and Communication.The theme for 2017 World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) has been announced: Sustaining Breastfeeding Together. ILCA is partnering with organizations to promote the role that breastfeeding plays in valuing our wellbeing. The Birthing Center at Littauer supports Sustaining Breastfeeding Together.For further information about the event, or to schedule a consultation, call Nancy Quinlan at (518) 775-4101.Littauer Lactation Consultant Nancy Quinlan, RN, IBCLC serving cake at last year’s World Breastfeeding Week Celebration at NLH
Littauer joins with The Baby Box Co. bringing a safe sleeping environment to all NLH Birthing Center newborns Posted on February 23, 2017 by Dakota Pike2. The Baby Box Co. and Littauer collaborate to bring Baby Boxes to the Littauer community. Shown here is the first baby to receive the giftGLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK (February 15, 2017) – Nathan Littauer Hospital and The Baby Box Co. announced the launch of the Universal Safe Sleep program at Nathan Littauer Hospital.“This program is a critical first step in reducing infant mortality,” stated Cheryl McGrattan, Vice President of Community Relations for the hospital. The new program is free to the new parents of the expected 340 newborns welcomed into the world at Nathan Littauer’s Birthing Center over the course of a year. Ms. McGrattan added, “According to our research, we are the first hospital in New York State to provide Baby Boxes to every family throughout the year.”This program is focused on reducing the infant mortality rate in the U.S. which hovered around 6.5 percent in 2015 which is worse than all EU countries, Japan, South Korea, Australia and even Cuba. The innovative new program combines the Baby Box University information platform for new parents along with the proven safety of the Baby Box. Empowering parents and families with essential information for them to properly care for newborns is the heart of this new initiative.Nathan Littauer’s Baby Box program is accessible to all expecting and new parents regardless of socioeconomic status. The Baby Boxes are available upon discharge from The Birthing Center.The use of Baby Boxes has been associated with helping Finland achieve one of the world’s lowest infant mortality rates. The Finnish initiative, which enables every expecting woman in the country to claim a free Baby Box once she receives prenatal care and parenting information from a healthcare professional, is credited with helping to decrease Finland’s infant mortality rate from 65 deaths for each 1,000 children born in 1938 to 2.26 deaths per 1,000 births in 2015.“What makes this program so unique is the focus on education” explained Maureen Mosher, RN, NLH Manager of Maternal Child Health, adding, “Every mother must watch a video syllabus in the prenatal stage to secure the box”. The multi-media parenting curricula called Baby Box University has video featuring local experts. The families will begin reviewing the syllabus in the prenatal stage. Upon completion, they are given a certificate which can be used to secure the free Baby Box.3. An example of the Baby Box contents new babies will receive after being born at Nathan Littauer’s Birthing CenterThe Adirondack Rural Health Network (ARHN), a program of Adirondack Health Institute, partially funded the Nathan Littauer Hospital’s Baby Box project, one of seven ARHN Prevention Agenda Projects, with support from the New York State Department of Health Charles D. Cook Office of Rural Health. “Providing families with a means to keep their newborn safe and secure is such a privilege,” said Margaret M. Vosburgh, CEO, Adirondack Health Institute. “We are grateful for the opportunity to support our partners at Nathan Littauer Hospital in this important work.”The Baby Boxes themselves, which are made from durable cardboard and come with a firm mattress, waterproof mattress cover and fitted cotton sheet, are traditionally used in Finland as a baby’s bed for up to the first eight months of life.Participants in the safe sleep program receive a Baby Box that contains the following items at Littauer:MattressWaterproof mattress protectorFitted sheetSafe sleep sackPampers baby wipesPampers Swaddlers diapersLansinoh breast pads and nipple creamVroom baby brain boosting activity cardsOnesieBoard bookThermometerInfant Mortality Rate Stats:Approximately 3,500 infants die annually in the United States from sleep-related deaths, including sudden unexpected infant death (SUID); ill-defined deaths; and accidental suffocation and strangulation.The number of infant deaths initially decreased in the 1990s after a national safe sleep campaign but has plateaued in recent years.The Baby Box Co. is Rooted from a Finnish Tradition:The use of Baby Boxes has been credited with helping Finland achieve one of the world’s lowest infant mortality rates. The initiative, which enables every expecting woman in the country to claim a free Baby Box once she receives prenatal care and parenting information from a healthcare professional, is credited with helping to decrease Finland’s infant mortality rate from 65 deaths for each 1,000 children born in 1938 to 3 deaths per 1,000 births in 2013, according to the World Health Organization.The success of the Finnish Baby Box intervention inspired the founders of The Baby Box Co. to adapt this tradition with enhanced multimedia parenting curricula through Baby Box University to the benefit of nonprofits, hospitals, government institutions and individual families worldwide.The Baby Box University program’s exponential growth has solidified the model as an impactful safe sleep and parenting education intervention for millennials.About The Baby Box Co.Entrepreneurs Michelle Vick and Jennifer Clary founded The Baby Box Co. to offer a safe sleep environment to babies everywhere. Through its Baby Box University platform, Baby Box Co. is an innovative, integrated program to support parents and improve maternal and infant healthcare outcomes globally. The Baby Box Co. partners with hospitals, government agencies and non-profit organizations to provide Baby Boxes, quality products, resources and ongoing education to families on a large scale. Baby Boxes are also available direct to consumer either as a standalone item or filled with new baby essentials. Serving families in 52 countries, The Baby Box Co. has offices in USA, UK, Canada, Australia and Singapore. For more information or to purchase a Baby Box, please visit www.babyboxco.com The Baby Box University education resource is at www.babyboxuniversity.comAbout Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing HomeNathan Littauer Hospital and Family of Health Services serves Fulton, Montgomery, and Hamilton counties in upstate New York with a full-service, 74-bed acute care hospital, nine primary care centers, a nursing home and a community education center. The hospital was founded in 1894 and has 1,000 employees. Littauer’s medical staff provides well over 100,000 patient encounters each year. For more information, please visit www.nlh.org.1. The Hart family with the first baby to receive a Baby Box from Littauer
Littauer celebrates National Breast Feeding Week with special event Posted on August 16, 2016 by Dakota PikeBaby Kyle Fetterly who flourished his first year on breast milk after consultation sessions at Nathan Littauer HospitalLittauer’s Lactation Consultant Nancy Quinlan, RN, IBCLC, left, greets one of the many mothers and young babies she has consulted with about breast feedingGLOVERSVILLE – 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.
Primary Care Saves Lives Posted on April 26, 2016April 28, 2016 by Dakota PikeAnother Happy Patient!Simply put: Nathan Littauer’s Primary Care saves lives. Listen to Mary Ann Bausewein, RN as she explains a patient’s encounter at our Mayfield Primary/Specialty Care Center… April 2016
