Mom Stages - NICU

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The Virtual Human Milk Collection Campaign is being sponsored by the Medela company to honor the March of Dimes' National Prematurity Awareness Month and the thousands of dedicated Neonatal healthcare professionals nationwide.

The Medela company focuses on helping mothers, including NICU mothers to successfully breastfeed their babies and to do so for as long as they choose.

NICU Parents, families and friends can vote for their favorite NICU to receive Medela products or educational services. Four NICU's from four geographic regions will receive at least $5,000 each worth of Medela products or education services for their facility to help NICU mothers continue to provide their babies with breast milk.

The Virtual Human Milk Campaign is being sponsored by the Medela Company during the month of November, Prematurity Awareness Month. Part of the purpose of the campaign is to help raise awareness about the importance of human milk to the premature infant.

To do so they are encouraging NICU parents, their friends and family to vote for their favorite NICU.

Vote for Your Favorite NICU

You can register and vote for your favorite NICU to receive Medela producs by visiting the Medela's Preemie Awareness Program website. Every vote casts adds a milliliter to the Medela virtual milk collection.

The Medela company has pledged to donate $20,000 in Neonatal Human Milk Support Products. The four NICU's that obtain the most votes will receive at least $5,000 each worth of Medela products or education services for their facility. One NICU will be selected one in each of four geographic regions.

Once you have voted for your favorite Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) you can email the link of the Preemie Awareness Program website to your, colleagues, friends and family so they can vote as well.

Benefits of Human Breast Milk in the NICU

Medela is committed to helping mothers provide more human milk because research shows that the more human milk feedings, the better the health outcomes for infants. There are many benefits of feeding human milk (breastmilk) for NICU babies. Some of the research on using human milk in the NICU shows

• The length of stay was reduced from an average of 88 days to 73 days for babies fed more than 50 ml/kg day of breastmilk versus preterm formula.
• The days of oxygen therapy was significantly reduced from 33 days for infants fed preterm formula to only 19 days for infants fed fortified human milk.
• Late onset sepsis was reduced from 22% for infants fed preterm formula to only 19% for infants fed fortified human milk.

Additional benefits of using human milk have been shown to significantly reduce the risk of Necrotizing Entercolitis, ear infections, serious respiratory tract infections, gastroenteritis and re-admissions.

In addition for voting for your favorite NICU, you can support the Medela company's efforts by purchasing Medela Baby Products on Amazon.

More about the Virtual Human Milk Collection Campaign

Dyer KA. November 2009. Virtual Human Milk Collection Campaign. NICU Parent Support Blog.

Medela. November 2, 2009. Medela Recognizes National Prematurity Awareness Month With Virtual Human Milk Collection Campaign. Press Release.

Medela. November 2009. Preemie Awareness Month Program – Medela.

Image: SQUAIO. Hard Life. Morgue File License.

About the Author

Kirsti A. Dyer MD, MS, FT is a respected physician, an expert in life challenges, loss, grief and bereavement, professional health educator, professor, lecturer and author. She is also the Parent of a very healthy NICU Survivor.

Dr. Dyer created and has maintained Journey of Hearts, a website for anyone who has ever experienced a loss. She is the author of For Those Who Hold the Littlest Hands, an eBook written to provide information, encouragement and support for NICU parents. She is the founder of the NICU Parent Support Site, a website developed to provide information, encouragement and support for NICU parents.

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