What is Kangaroo Mother Care?
A Summary From Dr. Nils Bergman's Work.
Definition:
Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is an approach or a practice of infant care that significantly benefits all newborns, especially premature babies. It integrates three components of new born care:
- Skin-to-skin Contact-Kangaroo Position
- Exclusive breastfeeding-Kangaroo Nutrition
- Support to the mother baby dyad/couplet-Kangaroo Support
Skin-to-skin contact is between the baby's front and the mother's chest. The more skin-to-skin contact, the better.
A diaper is fine, and a hat may be used for added warmth.
Skin-to-skin contact should ideally start at birth, but can be started at anytime.
Ideally, it should be continuous day and night, but any amount of skin-to-skin contact is still beneficial to both mother and baby.
Exclusive breastfeeding means that for an average mother, expressing from the breasts or direct suckling by the baby is all that is needed. Some very premature babies may need additional essential nutrition. Your baby's doctor will determine this.
Support to the dyad/couplet means that whatever is needed for the medical, emotional, psychological and physical well being of mother and baby is provided to them, without separating them. This might mean adding modern NICU equipment or providing emotional and psychological support.
Lactation consultants working with the couplet provide much needed support and encouragement as mother and baby learn each others rhythm and their own dance of breastfeeding.
Kangaroo Mother Care Promotions aims to promote the spread and implementation of Kangaroo Mother Care as the standard method of care for all newborn babies, both premature and full term.
KMC applies to all babies, but it is particularly important for premature babies.
Separation is a common practice in today's society,
but it is abnormal and harmful.
- Kangaroo Position - Maternal infant skin-to-skin contact
- Kangaroo Nutrition - Early and exclusive breastfeeding
- Kangaroo Support - Never separate mother and baby. Add on the technology as needed.
According to Dr. Bergman, Kangaroo Mother Care is based on all of the following arguments:
- Biology: We know that the newborn is born with the skills and behaviours it needs to grow and be well, all it needs is to be undisturbed in skin-to-skin contact with mother, and it will breastfeed.
- Neurology:The human baby is extremely immature at birth. Its well-being is dependent upon continuing its gestation in skin-to-skin contact with its mother. Mother's milk is uniquely designed to protect the immature gut and therefore a vital part of the infant's well being.
- Anthropology: There is ample evidence that the normal behavior for the human new born is continual contact with its mother and exclusive breastfeeding.
- Research: Hundreds of studies support the neurological benefits of baby in skin-to-skin contact with its mother, as well as the disadvantage to the baby when it is separated.
- Evidence: There is overwhelming evidence that Kangaroo Mother Care is safe, ideal and far superior to the tradition of swaddling infants and placing them in a bassinet or crib during the early weeks after birth.
- Premature infants: A 'preemie' benefits tremendously from continuing its gestation through skin-to-skin contact with its mother. Breast milk is extremely important for all infants, but is even more important for premature infants.
- Separation: Even though swaddling and separating baby from its mother is consider normal and necessary in today's society, based on numerous studies it is not normal and is even harmful.
