Kangaroo Care

What is kangaroo care?

A method of skin-to-skin contact, kangaroo care is further defined as holding your diapered baby on your bare chest (if you are the father) or on your bare chest between your breasts (if you are the mother) with a blanket or article of clothing draped over your baby’s back. Your baby may wear a hat if you desire, however your body warmth is sufficient to keep your baby’s temperature at the ideal level. A soft wrap can also be used to keep your baby snug against your chest and secure.

What are the benefits to the baby?

While stress responses are necessary for an infant to be delivered into the world, these high levels of stress can have a negative impact on the infant’s brain development if they continue to remain at high levels after the birth. Holding your baby on your bare chest provides a safe and familiar environment for your infant in a world that is full of new and unusual sights and sounds and it has been shown to decrease overall stress in infants. Babies that are held on their parents’ chests are better able to maintain their body temperature, as well as regulate their heart and breathing rates. These babies spend more time in a quiet alert state and less time crying than infants who are separated from their parents. Kangaroo care infants have a better chance of successful breastfeeding and have demonstrated better patterns of weight gain. Babies need to experience sleep cycling in these early days where they enter long periods of quiet sleep in order for their brain to develop properly. Kangaroo care babies have been shown to spend more time in quiet sleep and for longer durations than babies who are not held in kangaroo care. A 2011 study, Should Neonates Sleep Alone? concluded that infants who were separated from their parents and sleeping in bedside cots/incubators entered quiet sleep one seventh of the amount of time demonstrated by kangaroo care babies. The separated infants experienced a state of anxious arousal, rather than calm, restorative sleep.

What are the benefits to the mother and father?

Being able to provide a safe and nurturing environment for your baby is a special responsibility of both the mother and the father. Providing this care not only builds your confidence as a parent, but also encourages strong parent-child bonding. Holding your infant close has shown to not only lower the infant’s stress levels, but also those of the adult holding the child. For mothers, holding your baby on your bare chest can improve breast-milk production and lead to a more successful and confident breastfeeding experience. For fathers, kangaroo care provides an important role for you during a time when fathers often feel sidelined.

Is it possible to use kangaroo care with a premature infant(s)?

Yes! In fact, the majority of research surrounding kangaroo care has been conducted on premature infants due to the incredible benefits that it has for this particular infant group. Premature babies often stay longer in the hospital and undergo many tests and procedures, all of which causes increased stress for the baby and the parents. An interesting study conducted in 2003 showed a strong correlation between decreased pain perception in infants during routine medical procedures for the premature baby and the use of kangaroo care. Even with all of the wires, it is possible and safe to utilize kangaroo care with your premature baby and arguably essential to schedule this precious time with your baby.

Action items…

• If you are expecting, make sure to include your desire to use kangaroo care in your birth plan. This is especially important for the first hour after birth. If you choose to keep your baby on your chest during this time, make sure to note your preference. Doctors/nurses/midwives can perform the necessary tests for that first hour with you holding your baby. Remember that there are cases where your baby may need to be separated for testing or procedures that cannot wait, but this is in the case of an emergency.

• If you have a soft wrap (such as a moby), you may want to include it in your birth bag in case you want to use it after the birth.

• Encourage your partner to participate in kangaroo care!

• Continue this practice even after those first few days. Infants benefit greatly from skin-to-skin contact during those first few months. The more “womb-like” the better!

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