03/26/09

BABYBJÖRN sponsors room in new NICU at Rainbow Babies And Children's Hospital, Cleveland OH

BABYBJÖRN sponsors room in new nicu at UH Rainbow Babies
and children’s hospital.

— Sponsorship builds on common goals of enhancing infant-parent bond.

CLEVELAND, March 26, 2009

A new state-of-the-art neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) that includes a BabyBjörn-sponsored patient room opened today at University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. Rainbow ranks among the top pediatric hospitals in America by both Parents Magazine and U.S. News & World Report.

Made possible by a $50,000 in-kind donation from BabyBjörn, the room is one of
38 in the unit. All rooms are private and family-friendly, featuring bedside
accommodations for parents who want to stay with their babies through the night. This unique home-like environment helps expedite healing for patients and reduces stress for patients and their families. Rainbow cares for more than 1,200 babies each year and has one of the highest survival rates in the nation.

“We are honored to be able to support Rainbow in a matter that is so close to our hearts,” said Annika Sander, head of communications for BabyBjörn. “We’re proud to support the important work Rainbow does to make sure these vulnerable infants get every opportunity to have the best possible start.”

The BabyBjörn and Rainbow partnership grew out of their mutual commitment to children’s health and the infant-parent bond. More than 35 years ago, Rainbow doctors published landmark research on infant-parent bonding. The research highlighted the importance of both mothers and fathers frequently carrying their infants and engaging in “eye-to-eye” contact, particularly in the first six months of life. Today, Rainbow’s evidence-based research on infant-parent bonding is well established throughout the world and is at the foundation for the design of the new NICU.

In 2006 the hospital endorsed front carriers such as those made by BabyBjörn for their ability to strengthen this infant-parent bond and help baby adapt to life outside of the womb. Avroy Fanaroff, M.D., physician-in-chief and chairman of pediatrics at Rainbow from 2003 - 2008, led the hospital’s decision to recommend BabyBjörn’s Baby Carriers to parents. Dr. Fanaroff has written 25 books on neonatology and has been included in multiple editions of Woodward and White’s The Best Doctors in America. Before recommending the front-wearing carriers, Dr. Fanaroff spent time at BabyBjörn’s Swedish headquarters with product designers, physicians and Björn Jakobson, founder and chief executive officer of BabyBjörn.

Today, the BabyBjörn and Rainbow partnership continues to grow through product development product testing, product donations and sponsorships such as that of the patient room in the new NICU. About UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital was founded more than 120 years ago with the desire to help children from Cleveland’s neighborhoods grow strong and healthy. Since then it has grown into the region’s premier medical facility dedicated to the care of children and their families. As a leading academic medical center, Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital offers cutting-edge therapies to area children long before they are available nationwide. U.S. News and World Report’s list of the best neonatal care/NICU hospitals in 2008 ranked Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital #2 in the nation.