Kangaroo care, also known as skin contact care, refers to the mother (father) of the newborn in a way similar to kangaroos, koalas and other marsupials to take care of young children, the newborn is attached upright to the chest of the mother (father) to provide the warmth and security required by the newborn.
Originated in the early 1980s, this method is a secret weapon for establishing early intimate parent-child relationships, suitable for all newborns, especially premature babies.
What are the benefits of kangaroo care?
Skin-to-skin contact between mom and baby during kangaroo-style care. It can reduce the anxiety of mothers, while improving the emotional interaction between mother and child, and improving breastfeeding rates.
For premature babies, kangaroo care can stabilize the physiological condition of premature babies, reduce pain, reduce crying, increase deep sleep duration, prolong sleep time, promote physical development, reduce the probability of infection, and make babies more healthy and lively.
Studies have shown that prolonging kangaroo care for more than 20 hours a day can effectively reduce the mortality rate of very preterm infants and increase the growth rate of babies.
Kangaroo care brings the baby a full sense of security and intimacy, and is also beneficial to the baby's character building.
There was a study comparing the impact of kangaroo care between father and mother on newborns, and the results found that there was no significant difference in neonatal physiological indicators and stress response after the two were implemented kangaroo care, and the kangaroo care implemented by fathers was as safe and effective as that of mothers.
Therefore, when the mother can not personally implement kangaroo care for some reason, it may be advisable to let the father try, which can not only improve the baby's attachment relationship, but also reduce the father's anxiety, while allowing the mother to get proper rest, reduce the burden of the mother, and bring psychosocial benefits to the whole family.
How to carry out kangaroo care?
The baby is naked or only wearing diapers, head up vertical or 60 ° on the mother (dad) chest, the mother (dad) with the arm to support the baby's hips and back, so that the baby's limbs can be slightly bent, and then covered with a large towel, each time can be maintained for more than 1 hour, the mother can breastfeed, you can also talk and communicate with the baby softly.
What should I pay attention to when caring for a three-kangaroo?
1. In the implementation of kangaroo care, it is best for mothers to stay awake, do not sleep, do not play with mobile phones, and ensure the safety of the baby.
2. Avoid eating hot drinks or hot foods during the implementation to prevent scalding the baby.
3. During the implementation, the baby's head is placed as far as possible to facilitate the visualization of the face, facilitate observation and keep the airway open.
4. It is not recommended to implement kangaroo care in a lying position to prevent infant suffocation, and always maintain a high head and low posture to ensure safety during implementation.
5. If the mother is tired or cannot perform kangaroo care for some other reason, the father can replace it.
6. For premature babies, kangaroo care should pay attention to whether the baby's vital signs are stable.
Author: Liu Juan
Chinese Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Medical Center, General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, in charge of nurses, senior midwives
He has been engaged in maternal and child health care for 15 years and has served as a clinical teacher.
She specializes in delivery and postpartum care of normal and critically ill pregnant women, breastfeeding guidance, and breastfeeding support in the case of maternal and infant separation.
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Resources
[Li Kehua, Effect of kangaroo nursing day duration on feeding and long speed of extremely preterm infants[J]. General Care, 2020, 18(24).
[2] A study on the difference between the effect of kangaroo care between mother and father[J]. China Medical University,2020,2.]