A technique known as Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) can help premature babies thrive for 20 years, according to a new study.
Young adults were found to benefit from continuous skin-to-skin contact – where the parent or carer nestles a baby in “kangaroo” position on the adult’s chest, as soon as possible after birth.
Preterm and low birth weight babies that were cared for in this way went on to be better behaved adults with larger brains, higher pay checks and more protective and nurturing families.
The idea is that a trained KMC parent or caregiver becomes a child’s incubator and a main source of food and stimulation until the baby can maintain their own body temperature.
The mother is encouraged to return home from hospital with the baby as soon as they can and the pair are rigorously monitored for a year.
“This study indicates that Kangaroo Mother Care has significant, long-lasting social and behavioural protective effects 20 years after the intervention,” said lead researcher Dr Nathalie Charpa, from The Kangaroo Foundation.
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Top Comments
I adored the skin to skin with my premmie twins, -and I also loved it with my full term very plump singleton. I've heard it stimulates all the happy and loved-up hormones that facilitate bonding. Skin-to-skin should be encouraged for all babies with both mum and dad.
Me too, although it was 19 days before I got to hold my babies as they were so tiny at birth (27 weeks). Every moment with them was precious.
I am no expert, but I am a mother of a micro premature baby currently in NICU.
I am glad to see an article about premature babies as it really is a big mystery unless you find yourself with your baby, or a baby you are close to in NICU.
However, the article is confusing, and more care could have been taken to ensure clarity.
The difference between A Kangaroo Care Cuddle and Kangaroo Mother Care. A lot of readers inexperienced with premmie babies wouldn't know (in much detail anyway) what Kangaroo Care Cuddles are to start with.
A Kangaroo Care Cuddle is skin-to skin contact with the baby's parents, usually for at least an hour. We do this as many days as we are allowed. I own;t go into detailed but we are not what you'd call "trained KMC parents". Perhaps this is Kangaroo Mother Care specific?
I believe that Kangaroo Mother Care is a step further, though I don't understand much about it as yet. It is a broader package of care defined by the World Health Organization.
Here is a little bit about the difference: http://www.kangaroomotherca...