Prematurity Awareness Month

**Karlee the day she was born-9 weeks early-3lbs 6oz**

In the United States today, 1 in 8 babies is born prematurely, and millions of children face serious health challenges or have trouble learning in school because they were born too soon. It's time for our country to do more to help moms have healthy, full-term babies.
Will you help me this November, Prematurity Awareness Month? Sign the Petition for Preemies at marchofdimes.com/petition and let your voice be heard. Then send to your friends and ask them to take a stand, too. More newborns die from premature birth than any other cause — but solutions are within our grasp. Join me this November in spreading the word and show our support for the March of Dimes and give hope for all babies for a healthy start in life.

We need to focus the nation’s attention on the impact premature birth has on babies and families, and on the opportunities for prevention. Today more than 1,400 babies in the U.S. will be born prematurely. Many will be too small and too sick to go home. Instead, they face weeks or even months in the intensive care unit. (NICU). These babies face an increased risk of serious medical complication, and death; however, most eventually will go home. What can you do to help....sign the Petition for Preemies! The Petition for Preemies addresses the following: 1. We urge the federal government to increase support for prematurity-related research and data collection as recommended by the Institute of Medicine and the Surgeon General’s Conference on the Prevention of Preterm Birth, to: (a) identify the causes of premature birth; (b) test strategies for prevention; (c) improve the care, treatment and outcomes of preterm infants; (d) and better define and track the problem of premature birth.

2. We urge federal and state policymakers to expand access to health coverage for women of childbearing age and to support smoking cessation programs as part of maternity care.

3. We call on hospitals and health care professionals to voluntarily assess c-sections and inductions that occur prior to 39 weeks gestation to ensure consistency with professional guidelines.

4. We call on businesses to create workplaces that support maternal and infant health. View our 14 recommendations.

Please help give all babies a chance at 9 months!!


**Karlee @ 5 days old**

P.S. Please feel free to copy and post to your own blog!! Help spread the word!!