DALLAS, Oct. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Parents
have been instinctively hugging their babies since the beginning of
time, but research shows that this natural act can do more than
calm a cry or soothe some stress. Hugs can help keep a baby's heart
beating at a normal rate, improve sleep and support healthy weight
gain, according to a recent Huggies study titled "The Power of
Human Touch for Babies."
"We believe deeply in the power of hugs, that is why every
Huggies diaper and wipe is inspired by parents' hugs – to nurture
baby with care, cradle baby in comfort and surround baby in
protection," said Giusy Buonfantino, president of
Kimberly-Clark Baby and Child Care
North America. "Today, Huggies is announcing No Baby
Unhugged to ensure babies get the hugs they need to thrive –
from physical snuggles in hospitals and specially-designed products
for the tiniest of babies, to diapers and wipes donations."
Continues Buonfantino, "This program is rooted in the foundation
of the Huggies brand and is a physical expression of our promise to
parents to create products and programs that help keep babies happy
and healthy."
No Baby Unhugged will help babies in the Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit (NICU) get the hugs they need when moms and
dads can't be there, by funding grants for volunteer hugging
programs in U.S. hospitals. NICUs are increasingly integrating
volunteer hugging programs to make sure that the approximate
380,000 pre-term infants born in the U.S. and other newborns
receive enough human contact for their health and welfare.
Parents can help give hugs too. For every person who signs up to
become a Huggies Member at Huggies.com/NoBabyUnhugged, Huggies will
donate $5 to support volunteer
hugging program grants for hospitals*.
The U.S. News & World Report's nationally-ranked Ann &
Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago is the first
hospital to receive a Huggies No Baby Unhugged grant.
"Research shows that the act of hugging releases oxytocin and
serotonin which reduces anxiety and stress and negates pain. We
encourage parents to hug as much as they can from very early on,"
said Rebecca Meyers, Master of
Science, child life manager at Lurie Children's Hospital. "When
babies have a longer stay in the NICU and parents unfortunately
can't be there all of the time, our NICU volunteers are able to
step in and help provide this crucial interaction."
The Huggies No Baby Unhugged grant will go towards
specialized training and ongoing support for the volunteers at
Lurie Children's who have this very important job. Interested
hospitals can learn more about the grant program here.
More About Huggies No Baby Unhugged
Other elements of Huggies No Baby Unhugged includes creating
special diapers and wipes for the tiniest of babies and continued
Huggies product donations across the country to fight the diaper
need issue in America.
The Tiniest Hugs:
In partnership with NICU Nurses, Huggies created a distinct set of
specially-designed diapers and wipes to match the unique needs of
premature infants to ensure these babies have the products they
need to thrive. New Huggies Little Snugglers Nano Preemie Diapers
and Huggies Little Snugglers Micro Preemie Diapers are soft, gentle
and fitted for the most delicate babies. These special diapers are
100 percent hand inspected, folded individually and packed by hand
to ensure baby's delicate skin is clean and healthy. Every
dedicated Huggies worker puts a personalized sticker and their name
on each box, confirming that it has been handled with care. Huggies
Natural Care Extra Sensitive Wipes are the first and only baby wipe
specifically designed for premature skin to gently glide while
cleaning baby's fragile, compromised skin.
Making a Difference in Diaper Need:
Kimberly-Clark first brought the issue of diaper need to the
forefront in 2010, when a groundbreaking Huggies study revealed one
in three U.S. moms suffer from the inability to provide fresh,
clean diapers for their babies. These parents often have to choose
between paying for food or diapers which can lead to increased
stress and strife. Huggies has donated more than 200 million "hugs"
in the form of diapers and wipes since 2010 and helped build up a
capability of 300+ diaper banks across the country as the founding
sponsor of the National Diaper Bank Network. Huggies No Baby
Unhugged will continue to help ensure babies get the hugs they
need in the form of diaper and wipes donations. Parents can help
give hugs too by simply donating their points through the new
Huggies Rewards app or on Huggies.com.
To learn more about Huggies No Baby Unhugged and how you
can help give hugs too, visit Huggies.com.
About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and
its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for
people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of
the world's population trust Kimberly-Clark brands and the
solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and
well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups,
Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No.1 or No. 2 share
position in 80 countries. To keep up with the latest news and to
learn more about the company's 144-year history of innovation,
visit www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook and
Twitter.
[KMB-B]
*Up to $50,000 in 2016.
Contact: Sarah Hintze
312-240-2886
Sarah.Hintze@edelman.com
Contact: Terry Balluck
972-281-1397
media.relations@kcc.com
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SOURCE Huggies