NICU Families Discover New Resource for Preemies Receiving Banked Human Milk

WASHINGTON - Nov. 1, 2016 - PRLog -- Each year, about 10% (380,000) of American babies are born too soon. Premature birth is difficult on babies and their families. Preemies are especially susceptible to serious health issues, and for families, it can be heart-wrenching to watch their child struggle to grow big and strong. These fragile babies are cared for in the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), sometimes for days, sometimes for months.

Organizations such as the March of Dimes and the National Coalition for Infant Health work to raise awareness about premature birth in the U.S. November is National Prematurity Awareness Month, a time to promote understanding, raise funds for lifesaving research, and support legislation that improves care for mothers and babies.

For premature babies, nutrition is paramount. Unfortunately, many are too small or weak to breastfeed and most moms are not initially able to produce enough milk for their little ones. Donated milk can fill the gap when mother's supply is insufficient. The Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) works hard to educate families and healthcare organizations on the importance of breastmilk for premature infants.

Rich and Creamy For Our Preemie (https://platypusmedia.com/RichandCreamy) and Rico y cremoso para nuestro premature hermoso (https://platypusmedia.com/RicoyCremoso) (the Spanish edition) educate NICU families on the processes that go into making their preemie healthy. These new coloring books are uniquely designed to support the siblings and parents of babies in the NICU.

These sweet coloring books support and educates NICU families, explains the role of human milk in the NICU, celebrates the wonderful work that human milk banks do, and it provides resources for parents of preemies.

Naomi Bromberg Bar-Yam, Ph.D. wrote the coloring book. "This wonderful story celebrates and promotes close knit families while educating young children on the importance of breastmilk." In addition to her work as director of Mothers' Milk Bank Northeast and president of Human Milk Banking Association of North America, she is the mother of four children, two of whom started their days in the NICU. She lives in Massachusetts and can be contacted at Naomi@PlatypusMedia.com.

Lina Safar, the talented illustrator, is from Kiev, Ukraine. She has illustrated over 15 books for both international and American writers. She found her passion for book illustration, design, and painting while attending the University of Damascus, Syria. She lives in Tampa, FL with her husband and two daughters. She can be contacted at Lina@PlatypusMedia.com.

A portion of each Rich and Creamy and Rico y cremoso sale will be donated to the Human Milk Banking Association of North America.

Platypus Media is an independent publisher, located in Washington, D.C., dedicated to creating and distributing materials about family life. Our goal is to produce books that parents love, children enjoy, teachers appreciate, and parenting professionals value. This is the second coloring book they have developed to support families in the NICU. Come Home Soon, Baby Brother/Sister! (also available in Spanish) was released in 2008. These coloring books have been a staple in NICUs across the country.

Review copies and scans are available upon request.

Our Infographic "Quick Facts About Human Milk Banking" can be found at https://platypusmedia.com/files/QuickFacts.pdf.

Rich and Creamy For Our Preemie
Rico y cremoso para nuestro premature hermoso
English ISBN 13: 978-1-930775-69-5
Spanish ISBN 13: 978-1-930775-70-1
18 Pages • 8.5" x 11.5" • $2.95 (Bulk pricing available)
Can be purchased in re-sealable bags with crayon pack

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