July 2015 - In This Issue:
Dear Friends,
The Institute for Patient Access and  National Coalition for Infant Health (NCfIH)  recently hosted an impassioned  Preemie Matters Summit ,  where congressional leaders, neonatal providers, nutrition and development experts, parents, ad vocates, and a leading news anchor gathered to establish policy priorities for NCfIH. 

CNN anchor and mother of premature twins Nancy Grace captured the audience and expressed appreciation for the committed professionals in the room, sharing, "I'm still in touch with the NICU nurses who helped save the twins' lives...I thought that dreams would never come true. But they do, because of people like you."   

Check out www.infanthealth.org/summit for more memorable Summit moments.
large Nancy Grace photo

New Preemie Video!  
Watch and share this touching new video from the National Coalition for Infant Health, highlighting the staggering need to improve the standard of care for premature babies and their families.

Legislative Call to Action from NCfIH Chairman
In a passionate  blog  in the congressional publication  The Hill, NCfIH Medical Director Dr. Mitchell Goldste in provides
insight into the federal support required to improve premature infant outcomes. He emphasized,
"We must take care to see that preemies, especially those burdened with multiple disparities...have an equal opportunity at getting the health care they need."
Revised Breastfeeding Guideline from AWHONN
The As socia tion of Womens Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHON N ) just released its  evidence-based guideline , Breastfeeding Support:
Preconception Care through the First Year,
Third Edition (2015).
Updates in this version include:
  • Recommendations for breastfeeding promotion and support for mothers of preterm and vulnerable newborns.
  • Recommendations for supporting women from preconception care through the baby's first year of life.
  • Developmental and sociocultural factors that influence the decision to breastfeed. 
Cord Milking Proves Beneficial 

Research shows that umbilical cord milking--the process of gently squeezing the cord to push blood to the abdomen--improves blood pressure, flow, and hemoglobin levels in C-section-born preemies. Babies were not getting enough blood flow through delayed cord-cutting, but increasing flow prevented brain bleeding, improved blood pressure and red blood cell levels.

Preemies Surviving Even Earlier: Some at 22 Weeks
new study  shows that some  premature  infants are surviving with an earlier delivery than experts thought possible.  The findings raise important questions about treatment and viability of the minority of babies surviving at 22 weeks gestation.  For many parents and providers, these results intensify the agonizing choices about how to treat these vulnerable newborns.

Maternal Sensitivity Strong in Preemie  Parents  
Preterm delivery is a significant stressor for parents, but new findings confirm that mothers of preterm children are just as sensitive and responsive toward their children as mothers of full-term children. A meta-analysis of 34 studies shows that mothers of pre- and full-term children did not differ from each other significantly in terms of their behavior toward their children. Read more .

 

Upcoming Conferences

 

Save the date for the National Perinatal Association (NPA) SymposiumOctober 2-3. The Nashville event will dive into the pervasive and critical issue of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.


Attend the Preemie Parent Alliance conference , October  19-21, 
and  join  parent leaders and professionals in Dallas, TX, for  networking and learning workshops centered around families and their preemies.

 

Check out the 31st annual  National Association of Neonatal Nurses conference , October 22-25 in Dallas, TX, with diverse session s on neonatal care, leadership, advocacy, and research.