02 Aug UPMC Altoona partners with Mid Atlantic Mothers Milk Bank to boost breastfeeding support in Pennsylvania
WJAC (August 2, 2023) – UPMC Altoona launched a new partnership with Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank – just in time for not only world breastfeeding week, but national breastfeeding month.
Mid-Atlantic Mothers’ Milk Bank currently works with more than 55 hospitals – distributing over 30,000 ounces of milk in a month and as of Tuesday August 1st – that number will only increase as UPMC Altoona is now an official milk donation depot for pre-screened mothers to donate to.
Alison Keating, a Lactation Consultant with UPMC Magee-Women’s at UPMC Altoona explained how important breast milk is for babies and says they are beyond excited to partner with the Mid Atlantic Milk Bank where they can help even babies all across the Commonwealth.
“As part of this program the milk bank provides us with pasteurized donor milk available on the unit to any breast feeding families that need that little bit of extra volume to support their breast feeding goals and to support that breast feeding exclusivity that we know is so important for good health,” said Keating.
Denise O’Connor, an official with the Mid Atlantic Mothers Milk Bank says nothing compares to mothers breast milk and that UPMC Altoona has been supportive about partnering together – since the early conversations in December of last year.
Now, less than a year later and UPMC Altoona received their first breast milk donation on behalf of the Mid-Atlantic Milk Bank from Danielle Tinsley – one of UPMC’s very own nurses.
“I was blessed with what’s called an oversupply and I can bless very, a lot more babies than just my son and I have plenty of milk at home that I wish is going to help all the babies in the state of Pennsylvania and even babies here at our hospital,” said Tinsley.