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40 Military Moms-To-Be Will be Showered During the PGA Tour's 2012 Farmers Insurance Open March of Dimes Provides Key Health Education

LA JOLLA, Calif., Jan. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Forty moms-to-be whose spouses are deployed with the military will have the opportunity to experience what many other expectant women may take for granted - a baby shower. These moms, whose spouses all are members of the U.S. Navy SEALs, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines and California Army National Guard, will be honored during a group baby shower hosted by Operation Shower with support from Birdies for the Brave and presented by Datron World Communications. March of Dimes is serving as the shower's lead health education partner, providing essential information on how to have a healthy, full-term pregnancy and a healthy baby.

The shower will be held at a luncheon on Tuesday, January 24, from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. in the San Diego Padres Military Appreciation Pavilion at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla during the 2012 Farmers Insurance Open.

Each of the honored moms-to-be will receive Operation Shower's signature "Shower In a Box" - a gift of high-quality products for mothers and babies. March of Dimes also will provide information on essential topics ranging from warning signs of pre-term birth, to which newborn screening tests every baby should have, to information specifically for dads as part of its Mission: Healthy Baby Program. All military moms and dads can request Mission: Healthy Baby materials by sending their name and address to missionhealthybaby@marchofdimes.com.

Very high levels of stress, such as the stress caused by a deployment, may contribute to premature birth or low birthweight, the March of Dimes says.

"Having a baby is a joyful experience. However, it's also one that comes with anxiety and stress, especially when your spouse is deployed overseas by the U.S. military," said Miriam Erdosi, Director of Program Services of the March of Dimes. "The March of Dimes believes in supporting moms and moms-to-be and we're grateful for this opportunity to help these military families. These showers and our Mission: Healthy Baby program give families the comfort, support and information they deserve."

The March of Dimes support for the military dates back to its founding by President Roosevelt in 1938. Mission: Healthy Baby, is supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and was designed specifically to address the unique needs of military members who may be stationed far away from the support of family and friends, or who may be fighting a war while their partner is home, expecting a child.

Beyond the educational information and products, the most meaningful gift for the moms may be the unique opportunity for them to find comfort and support from other women in the same situation as they celebrate this milestone together, Operation Shower says.

"Operation Shower is delighted to work with the March of Dimes to provide these moms with the critical information that they need," said Chief Shower Officer LeAnn Morrissey. "For military wives who are expecting a new baby and whose spouses are deployed or soon to be deployed, the impending arrival of a child can be both exciting and stressful. Operation Shower was created specifically because typically military moms are the ones who hold it all together at home. Without their spouses by their side, deployed to another part of the world, these moms deserve our support, our thanks, our love and an opportunity to celebrate together."

Operation Shower (www.operationshower.org) is a non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating and honoring military families by providing joyful baby showers for military moms-to-be to ease the burden of deployment, or in cases where spouses are seriously injured. Since the organization's inception in 2007, Operation Shower has showered more than 500 military moms from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and National Guard on military bases, during PGA TOUR tournaments, and at other locations.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies®, the 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.com or nacersano.org. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

The March for Babies is sponsored nationally by the March of Dimes number one corporate supporter Kmart, Farmers Insurance Group, Cigna, Famous Footwear, Sanofi Pasteur, FedEx, Mission Pharmacal, Watson Pharmaceuticals, First Response, and United Airlines.

SOURCE March of Dimes