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Amazing Mom: Amanda Pacheco
Filed under: Resources, Single Parenting, Amazing Parents, Breast-Feeding
Amanda Pacheco with her children. Credit: Ami Gutierrez, Shea Rose Photography
Amazing Mom: Amanda Pacheco, who started GetPUMPed!, an organization that provides breast milk to babies in Central Florida who, due to extraordinary circumstances, cannot be nursed by their mothers.
Amanda's Family: Husband: Bill Pacheco, married eight years; Kids: Trey, 15 months, Julianna, 3 1/2
Amanda Lives In: Orlando, Florida
Why Amanda Is Amazing: Last September, Amanda Pacheco -- Mandy, to her friends -- got a shocking text message from her husband, who was away on a long business trip. Their friend Jen died suddenly in her sleep, leaving her first child, 6-week-old Sara, behind. Mandy's first thought was to find a way to ease the burden on Ivan, Jen's widower.
"I had to help in my husband's place," she says.
Ivan was understandably overwhelmed, trying to process the shocking death of his 33-year-old wife and at the same time care for a newborn, but Mandy's mind jumped straight to the practical. She was still nursing her second child, who was just a few months older than Sara. When Ivan came over to talk the night after Jen's death, Mandy asked him if he would like some of the breast milk she had in her freezer.
A mother of two and a strong proponent of breast feeding, Mandy was already hooked into the mommy blogosphere, even co-moderating one discussion group. She explained what had happened to the other members of her online community and asked if any of them would like to join her in pumping milk for Sara.
"I got so much of a response," she says. "My goodness, there were moms coming out of the woodwork to help."
Mandy soon realized she needed some sort of screening mechanism and began researching breast milk safety protocols. Within a couple of days, she started a website asking women to join the effort to help Ivan, detailing the lab tests required for participation. The organization she now calls GetPUMPed! was born.
"I stayed up night after night doing this," she says. "It was just a drive that I had. I was so heartbroken for the family, I thought, 'I have to do something.'"
Things began to snowball from there. A friend helped her get an article in the Orlando Sentinel, which got picked up by other newspapers, both English and Spanish language. Businesses around central Florida offered to serve as drop-off locations for women donating milk. Pretty soon, Mandy incorporated the concept as a non-profit organization and applied for tax-exempt status.
GetPUMPed! is committed to supplying Sara with milk until her first birthday in August, but the organization has already started helping other families in need. The group is filling a gaping hole; there are informal milk exchanges, but they don't have health and safety requirements. The milk banks that exist are used largely by neonatal intensive care units and are too expensive for most families, charging up to $5 an ounce, Mandy says. As far as she knows, there are no other non-profit banks that provide milk from screened donors.
Mandy is hoping to change that. When Sara is weaned off breast milk later this year, GetPUMPed! will recruit new recipients.
"Our long term goal is to help as many families as we can," she says. "We have a vision of potentially branching out and creating GetPUMPed! chapters around the country."
Amanda's Best Friend Jessica Yesbeck Says: "She has always been one of the compassionate people that I've ever met. She'll do anything for her friends."
Recognition: Named a Mom Who Rocks by Baby Talk Magazine; Channel 13's Central Floridian of the Week
Amanda's Guilty Pleasure: Ice Cream: "Anything cold with chocolate in it."
Amanda's Best Advice: "Talk to your friends. I could not have done this on my own; this has been a complete community project. By getting out there and talking to other people about your dreams, you just never know what can happen."
Related: Amazing Mom: Diana Spatz
Want to see who else made the list? Click here for the rest of AOL's 2010 Amazing Moms!
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
5-09-2010 @ 4:28PM
Ken K. said...What a GREAT!! thing to come up with and do. Ibelieve she (Amanda Pacheco) deserves the 'Mother of the Year award".
May God Bless her and keep her going.
Reply
5-09-2010 @ 7:50PM
charles cox said...I feel she is a great mom but I would like this to be National Women Day because all Americam Women deserve honoring not just mothers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5-10-2010 @ 4:08AM
MomHadIt said...Wait a second. Amanda is truly a great person. But didn't they used to call that wet-nursing. Pre-Cival War, slaves were beaten if they didn't nurse the wealthy family's baby. The mother simply paraded around her Southern Hospitality Suites while the slaves they owned nursed, changed, played with, gave first aid, tucked in at night and anything else a parent would do. They were terrific "moms", too. Now comes the reality that Thomas Jefferson fathered babies conceived by these nurse-maids. Good for moms who help other moms, sorry no one boasted for wet-nurses 150 years ago,
5-09-2010 @ 4:50PM
Mary Peck said...If I had been so fortunate as to be able to breastfeed my babies, this would be a wonderful thing to do. The emphasis on it has been a source of heartache to me, ever since I did not find it possible, but I am happy for those who can. I agree about some kind of award!
Reply
5-09-2010 @ 5:06PM
heidi said...I breastfed all five of my children it is the best thing for children as long as you are not doing drugs,smoking or drinking alcohol and as long as you eat right and are not nervous because any of these things will go straight through to the milk and affect the child.But other than that it is wonderful to breast feed and I congratulate any women who do it for their children or others.
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5-09-2010 @ 5:21PM
Jenna G. said...Mandy! Wow! I'm proud to know you. It was so cool to come onto AOL's main page and just happen to see your family's beautiful faces. Congratulations on a well-deserved honor.
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5-09-2010 @ 6:12PM
tconduracki said...That's great, just bye soy formula.
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5-09-2010 @ 7:02PM
Marilyn said...Just buy soy formula? Great. Why would you make a comment like that? Formula is a FAR second best to mother's milk, as anyone knows. Why would you put down this tremendous effort by so many loving, giving women? If you can't be supportive, don't comment. I live about 1/2 hour from this woman, and I remember reading about it in the Orlando Sentinel. What a touching story of support, grief, and love! Sara and Ivan have been blessed by this woman, and those caring neighbors. If I were younger, and still a nursing mom, I would donate to Sara. Great story!
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5-09-2010 @ 7:40PM
T. Jenkins said...Bye soy formula is correct. In fact goodbye to all soy products. Do a little research into soy and Monsanto, the owner of the patent on the majority of soy beans. Soy is not natural as milk substitute and what the women in the article are doing is great. God Bless Them!!
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5-09-2010 @ 8:02PM
Angie said...Formula is sold in stores for babys. That for some reason or another can't have mothers milk. Milk banks milk is tested to make sure it is safe for the babys. I get a odd feeling about this.The out come of this is not going to be a good one.This needs to be stopped.I feel this is just nasty. I have both breast and formula feed children.There are and has never been any difference in any way shape or form between breast or formula.
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5-10-2010 @ 7:35PM
Officer Max Retired said...Some infants especially those in NICU's need the immunities that breast milk can provide. It is the best option for any infant due to the immunities it passes on. So yes there is a difference between breast milk and formula. It isn't nasty if done properly and they are screening the participants. I think it is an act of love to help out these infants that so desperately need it.
5-09-2010 @ 8:06PM
kaycee214 said...I congratulate her on such a wonderful thing and also about making it about safety. Regardless of WHO it is, I would never give another person's breast milk to my child without screening. Also, breast feeding isn't the "Holy Grail" and there are plenty of perfectly healthy babies out there getting formula.
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5-09-2010 @ 8:17PM
Officer Max Retired said...Many great ideas come out of neccessity. What an unselfish offering by mothers to a child who is in desperate need of it. She is to be applauded for her caring and for continuing this bank to help others in the future. I wish they had had this bank when I was nursing as I would have been more than glad to have participated.
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5-12-2010 @ 5:16PM
Nancy said...To the comment from Angie & Katcee214. You are so right there is no difference between breast or formula.Amanda has a big heart but she is going to end up makeing someones child sick.She needs to stop what she is doing. Let the docters and milk banks take care of this they are trained.If you go to Amanda's site you will see theres not many parents doing this. { THANK GOD } Read it all.But most of all read what it takes to donate.You can not be on drugs UNLESS A DOCTER WRITES THEM. Everyone knows that is what is being abused the most these days. The state of Florida where Amanda is . Is haveing a bad problem with this type of abuse. Even in my state the DEA is calling it The Florida Pipeline . So parents needs to think twice befor doing such a stupid thing. Your childs life could depend on it. Angie you are right THIS NEEDS TO BE STOPPED ! Think befor sending any moneys and yes the mothers are being asked for money in a round about way. There are only 2 or 3 children reciveing milk. How much money do you really think has been donated already for the 2 or 3 that is also giveing.Sounds to me this needs checked into.
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