New depot brings donated breast milk to babies in need Posted on October 30, 2017October 30, 2017 by Dakota PikeHere’s what our media partner News Channel 13, and Health Reporter Benita Zahn, has to say about Littauer’s new status as an NYS Milk Bank Milk Depot:Full story here: http://wnyt.com/health/new-breast-milk-depot-nathan-littauer-hospital-gloversville-fulton-county/4650060/ October 27, 2017 06:17 PM GLOVERSVILLE – The importance of breast milk for babies is well documented, but not every mom can breastfeed. That’s where the New York Breast Milk Bank comes in. Now, there’s a new depot for women who want to donate and for those in need.It’s a great concept. Some women produce more breast milk than they’ll ever need — so they donate it.New York is among 23 states with breast milk banks, most of them, like New York’s, is not for profit.The newest place to donate and get breast milk opened Friday at Nathan Littauer Hospital in Gloversville. The opening was anything but traditional.“Well, I was kind of an overproducer,” explained Amanda Fosman.She produces much more breast milk than her 9-month-old baby girl, Aria, can ever use.“So I kept saving it and freezing it,” she noted.Now, she donates it, some 3,000 ounces so far, providing a robust start for The Breast Milk Depot at Nathan Littauer Hospital in Gloversville.The Breast Milk Depot at Nathan Littauer is the third in the Capital Region, but the first to be inaugurated in such style.The Sirens Women’s Motorcycle Club of New York joined in for a ceremonial delivery. They’ve been serving as milk riders over the past year.“When we transport, it’s usually a 12 by 12 cardboard box full of milk,” pointed out Jen Baquial, the president of The Sirens Women’s Motorcycle Club of NY.The concept is simple. Women like Fosman register with the New York Milk Bank. Once screened and approved, they bring their milk to a depot, like Nathan Littauer. Then, it’s transported to the Milk Bank headquarters in Hastings on Hudson to be pasteurized and distributed to moms and babies in need.“The New York Milk Bank has done extremely well in the year that we have been open,” explained Roseanne Motti, with the New York Milk Bank. “We are storing right now over 70,000 ounces of milk from generous donors.”WEB EXTRA: Roseanne Notti, New York Milk Bank managerIt costs between $4 and $4.50 for an ounce of breast milk. Insurance only covers babies meeting specific health needs, covered by a managed Medicaid plan – so there’s an effort to gain wider insurance coverage.A doctor’s prescription is needed to access the service once a baby is home.Licensed by the New York State Health Department, the New York Milk Bank is affiliated with and follows the regulations of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America.“We are lifting babies into a better life, because while breastfeeding may not be the right choice for every parent, it is the best choice for every baby,” noted Cheryl McGrattan, the vice president of marketing and communications at Nathan Littauer Hospital.The celebration on Friday included milkshakes. CreditsBenita ZahnUpdated: October 27, 2017 06:17 PM Created: October 27, 2017 06:11 PMCopyright 2017 – WNYT-TV, LLC A Hubbard Broadcasting Company
NLH is now a depot for the NYS Milk Bank Posted on October 30, 2017 by Dakota PikeLittauer Radiologic Technologist, Amanda Fosman with infant daughter Aria, donates excess breastmilk to Littauer’s Milk DepotGLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK (October 23, 2017) – Nathan Littauer Hospital would like to announce a new partnership with the New York State Milk Bank. According to Nancy Quinlan, RN, IBCLC, OSC, the Littauer’s Birthing Center lactation consultant, The Birthing Center at Littauer is now one of the newest, licensed milk depots in the state.“NLH has always supported breast feeding, in a myriad of ways and now we are very excited about this leap forward,” said Quinlan. “We are now a milk depot for the NYS Milk Bank. This new chapter will improve awareness while bringing in new donor mothers for much-needed donor milk.”“When a woman donates their breast milk to help another baby, the gesture is beyond generous. It strikes at the core of what our community needs most: helping babies get the best start in life,” added Littauer VP of Marketing and Communication, Cheryl McGrattan. “Nathan Littauer is making that process easier as we can now collect store and ship donor milk to the NYS Milk Bank where it will be processed and distributed where it is most-needed.”Donors will go through a required screening process. Once approved, mothers can freeze the extra milk their babies don’t need and bring it to the Littauer depot, located in The Birthing Center at the hospital.Frozen milk soon arrives at the NYS Milk Bank, where it is logged in with a sophisticated tracking system. It is then thawed, analyzed, packaged in tamper-resistant bottles, pasteurized and tested for bacteria. Next, donor milk is dispensed by physician prescription to hospitals and NICUs. Some are also dispensed by physician prescription to medically needy babies at home.Interestingly, one method of delivery is made by the biker group Sirens, also known as the Milk Riders. They deliver much needed breastmilk throughout the New Your City. This group of dedicated riders will be present at Nathan Littauer Hospital for the inaugural delivery. Generally, Littauer will use another method of transport to deliver breastmilk to the NYS Milk Bank.Littauer’s partnership with the NYS Milk Bank is not only unique, but it is also essential for mothers who would like to donate excess breastmilk. This milk is important to save the lives and improve the health outcomes of vulnerably ill or premature babies.“We have gotten reports that our donated breastmilk has helped hurricane impacted babies in the U.S.” added McGrattan.For more information on the Littauer Milk Bank Depot, or to learn more about becoming a donor, please contact Nancy Quinlan at (518) 775-4101 or email nquinlan@nlh.org
Sen. Schumer visits Littauer and learns about The Baby Box Posted on October 18, 2017 by Dakota PikeSen. Schumer visits Littauer and learns about The Baby BoxHere’s what our media partner The Leader Herald had to share:Sen. Charles E. Schumer visits Littauer’s Birthing Center and speaks to Darcie Knapp, LPN at Littauer and expecting motherBaby Box program at Nathan Littauer continues to be popular with parentsSen. Charles Schumer talks with new parents, Jessica and Derek Hermann and baby Amelia, as he learns about the Nathan Littauer Baby Box program. Amelia was born Oct. 4. (Littauer photo)GLOVERSVILLE — Oct. 17, 2017 – Nathan Littauer Hospital’s Baby Box program is still going strong, with new parents taking home a bundle of baby products and a safe space for their new arrival to rest.The hospital began the program earlier this year and has seen new parents take home a box containing diapers, coupons, a sleep sack, booties, bibs and books among the many items tucked inside. The boxes also double as a bed for babies up to eight months.Baby boxes have been given out in Finland to all new parents since the late 1930s.To get their baby box at NLH, parents-to-be watch a short series of videos made by the medical specialists at Nathan Littauer that cover a range of topics including breastfeeding, tobacco and alcohol use and safe sleep. They can watch the videos on their own computers or use tablets that were given to NLH by The Baby Box Co.Littauer is believed to be the first hospital in New York state to send new parents home with a baby box. The hospital worked with The Baby Box Company of Los Angeles, which does both direct-to-consumer sales and wholesaling of the baby boxes. The educational component is offered through The Baby Box University.Parents then take a one question yes/no quiz relating to the videos they watched.Maureen Mosher, RN and Manager of Maternal Child Health at the hospital said the boxes have proven very successful, with parents being very excited to take the items home.She said community support for the program has been strong as well, including fundraisers to help the program.Fundraisers included Gloversville High School student Kristen Farley, who raised $1,250 for the program.Darcie Knapp of Northville who is expecting her third child later this week said she was thrilled to be getting one of the boxes.Knapp, who works at Littauer at a Licensed Practical Nurse in the operating room, said that one of the biggest challenges she found with her other two children was finding somewhere they would sleep. She said she tried a variety of different item, some of which he was find with, other he refused to drift off in.In addition, Knapp said having one of these boxes means less items taking up space in the house. She said with new babies parents often have to buy a crib, bassinet, pack-n-play, swing and bounce seat. She said having the baby box will mean she can cut down on the amount of items being bought.She said with a toddler at home, having something she can set the new baby in as she moves from room to room with her son will be helpful.“This stuff can take up so much room. But with this, you can bring it with you from room to room,” Knapp said.Knapp was on hand Friday to meet with Sen. Charles E. Schumer. Schumer was visiting the hospital for a press conference on two recently expired health care initiatives. During his visit however, Schumer wanted to see the program.During his visit, Schumer got to see the box in action thanks to nine-day-old Amelia Hermann.Hermann, and her parents Jessica and Derek, were on hand to meet the SenatorHerman turned out to be an excellent model for the box, sleeping through his visit and large amount media present in the small room being used for the baby box distribution.Kerry Minor can be reached at kminor@leaderherald.com.
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer visit Nathan Littauer Hospital, vows to fight for rural hospitals Posted on October 15, 2017 by Dakota Pike
Wellness Words October 2017 Posted on October 10, 2017 by Dakota PikeHealthLink Littauer’sWELLNESS WORDSSubmitted by Carol Tomlinson, RN BSCommunity Health EducatorFlu Vaccine For SeniorsAccording to the NYS Department of Health, influenza (flu) is a respiratory infection that can cause serious complications for older adults and people with certain medical conditions. Examples of chronic medical conditions that can increase the risk of complications include:AsthmaChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)DiabetesKidney or liver diseaseCancer or cancer treatmentObesityAccording to a 2016 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people age 65+ suffer most from the flu. In fact, up to 70% of flu-related hospitalizations occurred in this population in recent years. Additionally, 90% of flu-related deaths are in people over age 65. As we get older, our immune systems get weaker. Therefore, our bodies are more vulnerable to the flu virus and its related risks.The best way to help prevent the flu, according to the CDC, is to get an annual flu vaccination. This is especially true for people with chronic health conditions because the flu can worsen these conditions.Common questions about flu shot include:Q: How long does it take after I get a flu shot for immunity to peak?A: It takes up to 2 weeks to build immunity, but you can benefit from the vaccine even if you are unable to receive the shot until flu season has started.Q: Why do I have to get a flu shot every year?A-1: New vaccines are released each year to keep up with the rapidly adapting flu viruses. Viruses evolve so quickly, last year’s vaccine may not protect you from this year’s viruses.A-2: In general, antibodies that protect you from viruses begin to decline over time.Q: Can I get the flu from the vaccine?A: NO! The flu shot cannot cause the disease. The vaccine is made from attenuated (dead) viruses. After vaccination, your immune system produces antibodies that protect you from the flu viruses.Q: Where can I get the flu shot and how much will it cost me?A-1: Going to your doctor is the preferred way to get the vaccine. Additionally, if it is alright with your physician, you can also get flu shots at most pharmacies in the area.A-2: Flu shots are paid for as part of the preventive services agreement with Medicare.Good news for seniors: We currently have a new high-dose flu vaccine for people over 65. This vaccine is formulated with 4X the amount of each antigen which will give seniors a higher level of flu-fighting antibodies for their declining immune systems. This vaccine is very safe with few side effects.You can also help to protect yourself from the flu and other contagious diseases by:Washing your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water.Use a hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.Avoid crowds when the flu is in your area.Practice good health habits. Get plenty sleep, exercise regularly, drink plenty of fluids and eat a nutritious diet.For more information, contact your healthcare provider or HealthLink Littauer at 518-736-1120. You can e-mail us at healthlink@nlh.org, see our website at nlh.org, or visit our new wellness center at 2 Colonial Court in downtown Johnstown, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. We’re your community health & wellness service of Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home.
