March for Babies video

In case you haven't seen it yet!

Folic Acid Awareness Week

I logged on to Facebook this morning and saw a status update from my friend, March of Dimes, alerting me that it is folic acid awareness week! (Did you know you could be "friends with" or "fan of" March of Dimes on Facebook?) This B vitamin helps prevent birth defects of the brain and spinal cord when taken before the end of early pregnancy. Take a moment this week to let someone know how important this vitamin is for all women of childbearing age as it only works if taken before and during the first few weeks of pregnancy.

Don't forget if you're contemplating pregnancy or know someone who is, there are some great resources on the March of Dimes website regarding pregnancy!

I Wanna Rock

Did you know that Dee Snider is the "Honorary Chairman" for March of Dimes Bikers for Babies? Check out the article on the March of Dimes site or the video from when he and Dr. Howse rang the opening bell for the New York Stock Exchange!

The early bird gets...

$25!

Farmers Insurance is donating $25 to March for Babies for everyone who registers on-line for March for Babies before December 31st!

You can check out the details here. All you have to do is register on-line, tell all of your friends and family and team members to register on-line, tell everyone you know to register on-line.... and March of Dimes gets gets a $25 donation from Farmers for everyone who registers on-line!!

Get the word out, better hurry though - it ends December 31st!

It's beginning to look a lot like...

Cold, flu, and RSV season.

If your family is like mine, winter is a hard time of year for your baby... not only is it too cold to play outside or go for walks in the neighborhood but the germs are raging! The March of Dimes website provies a lot of good information about conception, healthy pregnancy and routine newborn care as well as caring for a sick infant. Having a sick child is stressful enough... but when your child has an illness on top of an underlying medical problem like chronic lung disease it can be very scary and sometimes special precautions are needed.

From the March of Dimes website, you can help protect your baby from RSV by:
*Keeping him away from people who are sneezing or coughing
*Making sure everyone who touches the baby has clean hands *Keeping your baby away from crowds of people
*Not allowing anyone to smoke near your baby

The RSV Protection website also provides lots of good information.

I hope you are all staying healthy and manaing to keep warm!

Prematurity Awareness Day

November 12 was Prematurity Awareness Day! This is the day the March of Dimes released the report card on prematurity.... the nation scored a "D" in regards to the national rate of premature birth. Kansas scored an unexceptable D and scored an embarassing F.

We heard from Dr. Howard Kilbride from Children's MercyDr. John Yeast from St. Luke's Hospital Brian Williams, dad of cutie-pie Savanna Williams, shared his experience about the premature birth of his beautiful daughter, Savanna and how the March of Dimes and the NICU family support program aided them along the way.

As Brian was speaking, Savanna sat with her mom, Nicci, and worked the crowd... it was so inspiring to hear about Savanna's birth circumstances, her struggles - then to see this cutie walking around and being generally adorable. Lisa Butterfield from KU med spoke last then Dr. Howard Kilbride fielded questions. There were also several other mother and child health resources there.

It was a great day - and brought light to an important local and national health problem. Please join the March of Dimes in signing the prematurity petition and telling our government that we care about babies born too soon!

November is prematurity awareness month.

That's right - all month! One in EIGHT children (12-13%) of children are born prematurely each year. In Kansas (and those of you on the Missouri side...) those stats hold true. For every seven babies born full-term, one is born before 37 completed weeks gestation. Not only do these children face higher levels of infant mortality but the ones who do make it, many face life-long health concerns or disabilities.

Please join me in signing the Prematurity Petition to help to alert others of this national crsis. Also, please check out and pass on the March of Dimes' prematurity site.

If your family has been touched by prematurity, I encourage you to tell at least one person about it this month. Also - remember that The Legends is promoting the March of Dimes and Prematurity Awareness Month in November. Please join us November 6th at Books-a-Million from 10 a.m. to noon if you are available!

Hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween.

Kara