WOONSOCKET, RI--(Marketwire - Mar 7, 2013) -  Born Free^®, a leader in premium infant feeding products, recognizes the second annual Colic Awareness Month in March by launching an online pledge. The pledge enlists friends and family members to help parents of newborns, especially those who have fussy and colicky babies, promising assistance in a variety of ways to get through difficult times. The company has also expanded upon their online colic resource for parents, offering tips from experts, and colic-reducing and soothing techniques.

Born Free launched a colic pledge at www.newbornfree.com/TakeThePledge with the goal of obtaining 10,000 participants to help a friend or family member who has a newborn baby. Those agreeing to the pledge would donate an hour of their time to help parents by doing things such as: watching baby while mom takes a nap or a shower, bringing the family a home-cooked meal, or taking baby for a walk.

Colic, a condition where otherwise healthy newborn babies cry for more than three hours a day, for three days a week, for more than three weeks in a row, affects an estimated 20% of newborns in the U.S., according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. A February 2013 survey conducted by Clarity Research with moms of colicky babies and first-time expectant mothers, further revealed the affect colic has on families. The survey showed that moms of colicky babies find it difficult to leave the home, and that having a colicky baby was affecting the entire family, yet moms are hesitant to ask for help. Further, many expectant moms have not assisted friends who have colicky babies, yet almost all would be willing to babysit or give their friend some alone time.

Specific findings of moms with colicky babies include:

• Eighty percent say that colic has moderately or significantly affected their ability to leave the house.
• Nearly 80% are hesitant to ask friends or family for help or support.
• More than 65% report that colic had a moderate or significant impact on their relationship with a partner.

Specific findings of first-time expectant moms include:

• Nearly 80% are somewhat, very, or extremely concerned about having a baby with colic.
• Only 40% of respondents have babysat for a friend with a colicky baby, however nearly 90% are willing to pledge to offer help to a mom.

Incorporating the findings of the survey, and in celebration of Colic Awareness Month, Born Free has expanded their support site at www.newbornfree.com/colicawareness with expert advice from Dr. Alan Greene, pediatrician, author, and renowned children's health expert. The resource also includes information from lactation consultants, and an article by Elizabeth Jackson, acting Chief Marketing Officer, columnist, and mom of three, who provides a real-life mom's look at coping with colic.

Choosing the right techniques to soothe baby is a resounding theme in being colic-aware. The Clarity study revealed that moms try different tactics to soothe colicky babies, including baby massage and swaddling. Eighty percent of moms with colicky babies also praised bottles, noting that they believe a baby's bottle played a moderate or significant role in helping to ease symptoms of colic.

"Several colic solutions have proved to be helpful in relieving baby's discomfort, from gentle motion, to soothing noises, and sucking on a pacifier or thumb," said Dr. Alan Greene. "Breast is best when possible, but for the times parents use bottles, switching to those designed to reduce gas, like Born Free bottles, could be beneficial in reducing colic symptoms."

The unique Born Free ActiveFlow^® Venting Technology is clinically designed to reduce colic and gas. The two-part venting system was modeled after a mother's natural milk flow in order to reduce the amount of air ingested when compared to other bottles. The goal is to offer babies a calm feeding experience. Born Free pacifiers and the new Bliss™ Feeding Pillow are also developed with the reduction of colic in mind.

To learn more about Colic Awareness Month, and to read expert tips and real mom stories, visit: www.newbornfree.com/colicawareness.

About Born Free
Born Free, a leader in juvenile feeding products, introduced the first BPA-free baby bottle in 2006 upon the company's inception. Born Free now distributes an innovative portfolio of feeding products and accessories worldwide for babies and toddlers, including: bottles, training and drinking cups, pacifiers and teethers, feeding pillows and more. Born Free was acquired by Summer Infant, Inc. in March 2011. Additional information about Born Free, including product information and details about colic awareness, can be found at: www.newbornfree.com.

About Summer Infant, Inc.
Based in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, the company is a designer, marketer and distributor of branded durable juvenile health, safety and wellness products for ages 0-3 years, which are sold principally to large U.S. retailers. The company sells proprietary products in a number of different categories, including nursery audio/video monitors, safety gates, bath products, bed rails, nursery products, booster and potty seats, infant bedding, bouncers, travel accessories, highchairs, swings and nursery furniture. For more information, visit: www.summerinfant.com.