New York, NY (PRWEB) May 18, 2015
First Candle, in partnership with The Boppy Company and with support from Babies”R”Us, recently unveiled a new initiative aimed at educating parents-to-be on prenatal health and wellness in order to minimize the risks associated with premature labor and stillbirths.
The program, Pregnant and Empowered, was announced at a symposium on May 7 in New York City where Dr. Ruth C. Fretts, OB/GYN at Harvard Vanguard and Associates and world-renowned researcher on causes and cures of stillbirths discussed the latest findings on maternal health and positive birth outcomes.
“May 2015 marks the first time Stillbirth has been included on the agenda at the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. For too long, Stillbirth has been the ‘elephant in the room’ and practitioners have not discussed it with their patients. Consequently, when a tragedy occurs, they are not prepared to help parents cope with the grief. Stillbirth is still a significant issue in the United States and we are now taking a more active role in identifying ways in which to increase the likelihood of positive birth outcomes as well as the importance of a woman’s health during pregnancy. Research indicates that women who had a high Body Mass Index (BMI) score before they became pregnant or in the early stages of pregnancy have a higher risk of Stillbirth, fetal deaths and infant deaths.”
As the nation’s leading non-profit organization committed to helping all babies reach their first birthdays, First Candle’s CEO Chris Blake explained that these efforts begin as soon as a woman learns she’s pregnant. “The purpose of this campaign is to make sure every mom has access to important information on how to have a healthy pregnancy and safe delivery,” Blake said. “With the help of our partners, we hope to demonstrate a significant impact on positive birth outcomes in the U.S.”
Dr. Fretts was also joined by Nancy Bartley, CEO of The Boppy Company, a world leader in award-winning products for mom and baby and the maker of the original nursing pillow – the Boppy® Feeding and Infant Support Pillow. “We are honored to join forces with First Candle as part of the Pregnant and Empowered educational campaign,” said Bartley. “We believe that Pregnant and Empowered will inspire moms-to-be to have healthy pregnancies, reinforcing our commitment to providing support for all Momkind®.”
The first part of this campaign is an informational brochure developed to help raise awareness about what women need to know about prenatal testing, the importance of good nutrition and healthy habits to practice during pregnancy. A key part of this includes monitoring the baby’s activity from 28 weeks on. Kicks Count! is a simple, effective way to help your doctor monitor your baby’s health. Included in the brochure is a sample of a Kicks Count! chart. As Dr. Fretts explains, empowering women with this information can dramatically improve the chances of a positive birth outcome. “Kicks Count! still remains the #1 prevention strategy for Stillbirth. Pregnant women need to understand that simply recognizing a change in fetal movement and getting to their doctor as soon as possible when this occurs could save their baby’s life,” states Dr. Fretts.
This brochure will be included inside all Boppy® Custom Fit Total Body Pillows and Boppy® Pregnancy Back Rests sold at Babies”R”Us for the remainder of the year and information will be included in Registry Bags at Babies“R”Us locations throughout the month of May. In addition, this information will be available online at http://www.boppy.com.
A dedicated website was unveiled at the Symposium to provide all the information needed for moms to have a healthy pregnancy, http://www.pregnantandempowered.org.
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About First Candle: First Candle is a leading national nonprofit dedicated to safe pregnancies and the survival of babies through the first years of life. With programs of research, education and advocacy, the organization is working to ensure that every baby is given the best possible chance to reach not only his or her first birthday, but many happy birthdays beyond. First Candle also provides compassionate grief support to all those affected by the death of a baby through a toll-free crisis hotline (1.800.221.7437). For more information or to make a donation, please visit http://www.firstcandle.org or call 443-640-1049.
About The Boppy Company: Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2014, The Boppy Company, LLC makes the award-winning Boppy® Feeding and Infant Support Pillow. This iconic product has received the most votes in American Baby magazine’s Best of the Year (Baby Best) contest a record 12 times from 2002 to 2014. Created by mom inventor Susan Brown, the Boppy Pillow has become a “must have” in today’s nurseries. The Boppy Company is based in Golden, Colorado, and is dedicated to providing comfortable support for moms and babies. For more information, visit http://www.boppy.com. The Boppy Company is now a part of The Artsana Group, makers of Chicco® branded infant products. Learn more at http://www.artsana.com and http://www.chiccousa.com.
