Medela to host Virtual Human Milk Collection Campaign

Medela today announced it will host a Virtual Human Milk (breastmilk) Collection Campaign in honor of the March of Dimes' National Prematurity Awareness Month and the thousands of dedicated Neonatal healthcare professionals nationwide.

Throughout the month of November, individuals can visit www.medelapreemieawareness.com to register their vote for their preferred Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The four NICUS, one in each of four geographic regions, that obtain the most votes will receive at least $5,000 each worth of Medela products or education services for their facility, including Symphony(r) Preemie+(tm) program cards, Symphony breastpumps, Waterless Milk Warmers(tm), Creamatocrit Plus(tm), Transport/Discharge Bags, BabyWeigh(tm) scales and/or Medela NICU Education programs.

"Medela is committed to providing Neonatal healthcare professionals with products and education to help them better promote and provide the life saving benefits of breastmilk for the premature infants in their care," says Carolin Archibald, vice president, professional business at Medela Inc. "Human milk works like a medicine to help protect premature babies from many complications during and after their hospital stay."

Research shows the more human milk feedings, the better the health outcomes for the infant. Feeding human milk rather than formula in the NICU has shown to reduce the length of hospital stay, reduce the days of oxygen therapy needed, reduce the incidence of late onset sepsis, Necrotizing Entercolitis (NEC), ear infections, serious respiratory tract infections and gastroenteritis.

How to vote:

By voting, individuals are helping their preferred NICUs to potentially receive products and services from Medela. Vote by visiting www.medelapreemieawareness.com/ and completing and submitting the registration form beginning on November 1, 2009 through November 30, 2009. Each individual may only vote for one NICU. Winning NICU facilities will be notified by December 10, 2009. Full participation guidelines, terms and conditions are available at

http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/preemie-awareness-month-rules.

"It is critical to equip NICUs with the products and knowledge needed to promote and provide the life giving benefits of human milk to the one in eight babies born prematurely each year in the U.S.," adds Archibald. "We hope this Virtual Human Milk Collection campaign brings awareness to this issue while rewarding outstanding NICU facilities that care for premature infants."