What is Kangaroo Mother Care?

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
 

History: KMC started in Bogotá, Colombia, where "early discharge" is regarded as the third part of the definition. This is also a form of support where hospitals are overcrowded, but it also requires a good community support system.

The Difference Between Kangaroo Mother Care and Kangaroo Care: In the USA, the term Kangaroo Care (KC) is generally used. This has been defined as "intra-hospital maternal-infant skin-to-skin contact". KC is generally started later and on stabilized premature babies. Technological care is the main emphasis with KC only being an addition when convenient.

While Kangaroo Care has profound effects on the baby,

Kangaroo Mother Care does so much more!

Kangaroo Mother Care

Dr. Nils Bergman: Dr Bergman graduated from the University of Cape Town, and has worked in South Africa, Ciskei and, Sweden. as Medical Superintendent and District Medical Officer at Manama Mission, Zimbabwe, he and Midwife Agneta Jurisoo, developed and implemented Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) for premature infants. They began having mothers and their premature infants practice KMC from birth. What followed was a significant increase of survival of these low birth weight babies.

In 1995, Dr. Bergman brought KMC to South Africa. By the year 2000, KMC became the official policy for care of premature babies in the hospitals of the Western Cape province.

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.

• KMC: For more information on KMC see www.kangaroomothercare.com