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What is kangaroo care?
Kangaroo care is a method of holding a baby and involves skin-to-skin
contact. The baby, who is naked except for a diaper and a piece of cloth
covering his or her back (either a receiving blanket or the parent's clothing),
is placed in an upright position against a parent's bare chest. This snuggling
of the infant inside the pouch of their parent's shirt, much like a kangaroo's
pouch, led to the creation of the term "kangaroo care."
How did kangaroo care come about?
Kangaroo care came about as a response to the high death rate in preterm
babies seen in Bogota, Columbia in the late 1970s. There, the death rate for
premature infants was 70 percent. The babies were dying of infections,
respiratory problems, and simply due to the lack of attention paid to them.
Researchers found that babies that were held close to their mothers' bodies for
large portions of the day, not only survived, but thrived. In the United States,
hospitals that encourage kangaroo care typically have their mothers or fathers
provide skin-to-skin contact with their preterm babies for several hours each
day.
What are the benefits of kangaroo care?
The benefits of kangaroo care to the baby include:
- Stabilization of the baby's heart rate
- Improved (more regular) breathing pattern
- Improved oxygen saturation levels (an indicator of how well
oxygen is being delivered to all the infants organs and tissues)
- Gain in sleep time
- More rapid weight gain
- Decreased crying
- More successful breastfeeding episodes
- Earlier hospital discharge
The benefits of kangaroo care to the parents include:
- Improved bonding, feelings of closeness with their baby
- Increased breast milk supply
- Increased confidence in ability to care for their baby
- Increased confidence that their baby is well cared for
- Increased sense of control
Why does kangaroo care work?
The benefits of kangaroo care listed above have all been demonstrated in
research studies. Indeed studies have found that skin-to-skin holding stabilizes
heart and respiratory rates, improves oxygen saturation rates, better regulates
an infant's body temperature, and conserves a baby's calories.
Here is at least a partial explanation of how kangaroo care accomplishes
this. When a mother is kangarooing, the infant typically snuggles into the
breast and falls asleep within a few minutes. The breasts themselves have been
shown to change in temperature to accommodate a baby body's changing temperature
needs. In other words, the breast can increase in temperature when the infant's
body is cool and can decrease in temperature as the baby is warmed. The extra
sleep that the infant gets snuggling with mom and the assistance in regulating
body temperature helps the baby conserve energy and redirects calorie
expenditures toward growth and weight gain. Being positioned on mom also helps
to stabilize the infant's respiratory and heart rates. Finally, research has
also shown that kangaroo care results in positive effects on brain development.
How to get started
Your nurse will discuss kangaroo care with you. General instructions for
performing kangaroo care are as follows:
- Remove your bra and wear a blouse or shirt that opens in the
front. (A hospital gown that opens in the front can be made available for
your use.) Screens will be provided for your privacy.
- The baby, wearing only a diaper and hat, will be placed on your
bare chest in an upright position.
- Cover the baby with your shirt, gown, or a blanket.
- Now simply relax and enjoy this unique bonding experience.
- Plan on holding your baby for at least 1 hour four or more
times a week in kangaroo care.
- During kangaroo care, let your baby rest. This is not a time to
play with your baby.
Fathers can provide kangaroo care for their baby too! The different feel of
the father's body will provide different stimulation to the baby.
For further information, please contact your baby’s nurse.
This information is not intended to replace the medical advice of your health
care provider. Please consult your health care provider for advice about a
specific medical condition.
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