Breastfeeding Pumps Donated to Eight Hospitals
March 5, 2008
BREASTFEEDING CONSORTIUM DONATES BREAST PUMPS TO EIGHT LOCAL HOSPITALS
Nursing mothers whose newborns require an extended stay in the hospital due
to prematurity or other medical conditions will now be able to borrow breast
pumps free of charge from eight local hospitals while their babies remain hospitalized.
The Westchester/Putnam/Rockland Lactation Consortium, a volunteer organization
that promotes breastfeeding, donated hospital-grade breast pumps to representatives
from St. John's Riverside Hospital, Nyack Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital,
Lawrence Hospital, Hudson Valley Hospital Center, Sound Shore Medical Center,
Westchester Medical Center and Phelps Memorial Hospital Center at a presentation
held recently at Phelps. By donating these pumps, the Consortium hopes to help
meet the needs of women who cannot afford to purchase or rent their own breast
pumps.
"We're always delighted to support new mothers with breastfeeding, especially
those who can't nurse their babies for a period of time after birth because
the babies need to remain in the hospital," says Jo Ann Gould, BSN, IBCLC,
a lactation consultant at Phelps and a member of the Consortium. "These
pumps make it possible for moms to feed their babies their own breast milk and
to support and protect their milk supply," says Gould. Once the baby is
released from the hospital and strong enough to nurse on his/her own, the pump
is returned to the hospital.
At Phelps, internationally board certified lactation consultants and certified
lactation counselors are available to provide instruction, counseling and assistance
for breastfeeding mothers, and Phelps offers a complimentary lactation follow-up
visit after discharge to all breastfeeding mothers who deliver at the hospital.
Presentation of the pumps took place at Phelps Memorial Hospital Center. Pictured
at left-to-right: Andrea Hopkins, Medela Representative; Sheila Lowrey, Good
Samaritan Hospital; Rhonda Valdes-Greene, Westchester Medical Center; LaShawn
Jemision, Nyack Hospital; Ann Colabattista, Hudson Valley Hospital; Judy McArdle,
Lawrence Hospital; Claudia Velez, Phelps Memorial Hospital; Helen Sikorjak,
Sound Shore Medical Center; Rene Fisher, Hollister Representative; Elaine Miranda,
St. John’s Hospital.