Kangaroo Mother Care
Have you ever heard of kangaroo mother care? It is an alternative to traditional neonatal care and has been practised around the world for decades.
Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is a method of caring for newborns, especially premature and low-birth-weight babies. It involves skin-to-skin contact between the baby and the parent or caregiver and has been practised worldwide for decades.
What Is Kangaroo Mother Care?
Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is a method of caring for newborns, especially premature and low-birth-weight babies. It involves skin-to-skin contact between the baby and its parent/caregiver (usually the mother).
It involves keeping the baby upright against the mother's bare chest, with the baby's head and face above the mother's clothing. KMC aims to give premature infants additional warmth, comfort, and support for their development.
How Is It Done?
This technique generally requires a few key steps:
In the first few days after birth, babies are placed on their mother's chest, wearing only a diaper, and their heads resting on the mother's shoulder.
Babies should be kept upright and monitored closely to ensure they are warm.
Covering the baby with a blanket or shawl is encouraged for extra warmth.
The umbilical cord should be left exposed so it does not touch any clothing.
Benefits
It helps preterm babies regain birth weight quicker, reducing the time spent in intensive care.
It provides more comfort and stability for fragile newborns.
It helps to reduce stress levels in both parents and babies.
It encourages breastfeeding
It strengthens the bond between parents and their baby.
And last but not least, it encourages bonding between siblings who might otherwise have missed out on that special connection.
Practical Examples of Mothers Doing Kangaroo Mother Care
Breastfeeding - The mother can breastfeed their baby while practising KMC. The closeness helps them establish a strong bond as they look into each other's eyes and connect emotionally.
Monitoring Vital Signs - Mothers can monitor their babies' vital signs, such as breathing rate, heartbeat and temperature, while doing KMC to ensure that everything is okay with the child. This can help reduce stress levels for both mother and child since they know that the doctor is just a few inches away from them at any time, if needed.
Bonding - Doing KMC helps build trust between mother and infant as they learn to rely on each other for comfort and love in times of need or distress. Moreover, the physical closeness between them helps create feelings of relaxation, further encouraging bonding time between them.
No matter where it is done, kangaroo mother care is a powerful and moving example of the incredible power of love and care in difficult circumstances. By providing a safe and nurturing environment, kangaroo mother care gives babies the best chance for survival and long-term health.
