DENVER, CO, March 06, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Today, the March of Dimes and the HealthONE Family of Hospitals announced the "Choose4Two" campaign to educate women on how to provide their babies with the healthiest possible start through proper prenatal care and lifestyle choices.
"During pregnancy, your baby is growing, your body is changing and so is your life. Taking care of yourself is the best thing you can do for both you and your baby," said Kathryn Marshall, state director of the Colorado/Wyoming chapter of the March of Dimes. "Our goal is to give moms-to-be the knowledge they need to make the best decisions during their pregnancy."
The Choose4Two campaign illustrates the most fundamental messages of a healthy pregnancy in a fun and informative way, in hopes of impacting women who are currently or planning to be pregnant in the future. The campaign includes educational materials, PSAs, billboards and a dedicated website, choose4two.org, to help expectant mothers make the best decisions during their pregnancies. Specifically, the campaign focuses on the following key points:
Receiving Prenatal Care: Regular prenatal care helps keep you and baby healthy. Your health care provider will give you prenatal tests to make sure your baby is growing healthily and monitor you for any potential problems or signs of preterm labor.
Exercising: Being active is healthy and safe for most pregnant women. It can even help your body get ready to give birth.
Eating healthy: During pregnancy, your baby counts on you for the nutrients he or she needs to grow healthy and strong. Even if you eat healthy foods every day, you may need some extra help from supplements to make up for certain nutrients, like vitamin C, iron or folic acid, that you don't get enough of in the foods you eat.
Protecting Yourself: Your growing baby depends on you to keep him or her healthy. So keep both of you safe by staying away from things that can be harmful during pregnancy like alcohol, drugs and cigarettes. It is never too late to change your behaviors and protect the health of your baby.
Waiting: Getting to at least 39 weeks before delivery gives your baby the time he or she needs to grow. If there are problems with your pregnancy or your baby's health, you may need to have your baby early. But if you have a choice and you're planning to schedule your baby's birth, wait until at least 39 weeks.
"Every mother wants the best for her child, and this program is focused on providing moms-to-be the tools to do so right from the beginning," said Sylvia Young, the president and CEO of HealthONE/HCA Continental Division. "That's why we are so proud to partner with the March of Dimes for the Choose4Two campaign to help all babies in Colorado get the best start possible."
About HealthONE
HealthONE is the largest healthcare system in the metro Denver area with more than 10,000 employees. As part of the HealthONE family, The Medical Center of Aurora, North Suburban Medical Center, Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center, Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children, Rose Medical Center, Sky Ridge Medical Center, Swedish Medical Center, and Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital work together to provide a higher level of care. In addition, our family of services includes five hospital free-standing emergency departments and numerous ambulatory surgery centers, occupational medicine clinics, physician practices, imaging centers, and AIRLIFE-DENVER, which provides critical care air and ground transportation across a 10-state region.
About the March of Dimes
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. About 4 million babies are born each year in the United States, and all have benefitted the March of Dimes life saving research and education. With chapters nationwide, March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at MarchofDimesCO. Information on Colorado activities and programs may be found at marchofdimes.org/colorado.
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