Kangaroo Care for Infants

Caring for a newborn baby can be a little frightening at times; encouraging kangaroo care can help new mommies and babies learn each other and promote good bonding from the start. Kangaroo care came about in the 1970’s in Columbia as a way to help premature babies thrive. This method involves holding a baby skin-to-skin with the mother or other caregiver. This means that the baby is wearing only a diaper and is snuggled directly on the mother’s skin covered by either a blanket or the mother’s shirt. Holding an infant like this directly after birth for one to two hours of uninterrupted kangaroo care can help establish breastfeeding as well as keeping the baby warm. Some studies even suggest that a healthy, full-term infant held on their mother’s skin will warm faster than if placed in an isolette warmer. The premature babies who are not able to do this directly after birth can still gain many benefits by being skin-to-skin with their mother as soon as medically safe. At this point, you may be wondering why this topic has appeared on a nutrition blog. Well, studies have shown that infants who have this time with their mothers are more likely to initiate breastfeeding. Also, infants who are held skin-to-skin burn fewer calories than those who are not. Imagine the implications for the tiny premature baby who is struggling to grow if we can help them burn fewer calories! In addition, studies have shown that benefits to babies held like this include stabilized heart rates and breathing patterns with greater oxygen saturation. They also spend less time crying, more time sleeping, and gain weight more rapidly. These factors may contribute to an earlier discharge time. There are also benefits to the mother who practices kangaroo care. Research has shown that those parents bond well with their babies and feel more confident in their ability to care for their infants. The best part about kangaroo care is how easy it is to do! You don’t need any special equipment or training. Holding a baby is a natural thing to do and if a baby can be held, they can be held skin-to-skin.

If you are interested and would like to learn more about kangaroo care, check out these resources:

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/healthy_living/infant_care/hic_kangaroo_care.aspx

http://www.marchofdimes.com/baby/inthenicu_kangaroocare.html

http://www.prematurity.org/baby/kangaroo.html