Medela Announces Virtual Campaign in Honor of Prematurity Awareness Month

Medela Announces Virtual Campaign in Honor of Prematurity Awareness Month

The Children's Hospital at MCCG Encourages Voting to help NICU Win Medela Products 

MACON, GA (Monday, November 19, 2012) – The Children's Hospital at The Medical Center of Central Georgia (MCCG) encourages the community to participate in Medela, Inc.'s fourth annual Virtual Human Milk Collection Campaign in an effort to assist premature infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The campaign is held in honor of National Prematurity Awareness Month, sponsored by the March of Dimes.

As part of the campaign, Medela will donate a total of $30,000 in breastfeeding related products to six NICUs across the country. Throughout the month of November, participants may visit www.medelapreemieawareness.com to vote for their preferred NICU. One NICU from each of six geographic regions will receive $5,000 worth of Medela products for their facility. Voting is open to the public and continues through November 30.

“Breast milk is preferred for premature babies, who are vulnerable to illnesses, but breastfeeding in the NICU is challenging,” said Missi Upshaw, Business Development Coordinator for Women's Services and The Children's Hospital. “The number of premature births has escalated steadily and alarmingly over the past two decades. We at The Children's Hospital ask the community to support us in this campaign. Please vote for your local NICU.”

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, breast milk provides optimal nutrition for babies. Feeding human milk rather than formula in the NICU may reduce the length of hospital stay, days of oxygen therapy and incidence of ear infections, respiratory infections and intestinal illnesses.

Prematurity is the leading cause of death for newborns in the United States. In approximately 40 percent of cases, the cause of the premature birth is unknown. The NICU at MCCG has partnered with the March of Dimes, a volunteer health organization whose mission is to preventing birth defects, premature births and infant mortality.

To vote for the NICU at The Children's Hospital at MCCG, please visit www.medelapreemieawareness.com. For further details on the promotion, please visit www.medelapreemieawareness.com.