Kangaroo Care Initiated Immediately After Birth Can Be Lifesaving

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Eleven years ago, I welcomed a tiny baby girl who weighed just two pounds. Born nine weeks premature and in critical condition, I wasn’t able to hold her right away. While the NICU team was eager to get her into my arms for kangaroo care, they adhered to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, which stated that this bonding should only occur once the baby was stable. However, recent research suggests that might be changing.

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that immediate kangaroo care can significantly enhance survival rates for preterm or low birthweight infants. This shift in practice could potentially save an additional 150,000 lives annually. Dr. Samira Patel, a leading researcher in neonatal care, emphasized, “When initiated as soon as possible, kangaroo mother care can save lives, promote better health outcomes, and ensure that mothers remain close to their vulnerable newborns.”

Kangaroo Care Defined

Kangaroo care involves holding your baby against your chest for skin-to-skin contact. The infant typically wears just a diaper and is placed directly on the parent’s bare skin, often covered by a blanket for warmth, much like a kangaroo carrying its young.

Both parents can partake in this intimate practice. It’s recommended that each session lasts at least 60 minutes, with the avoidance of perfumes or lotions being crucial. Most importantly, parents should set aside their phones to fully engage with their newborn.

For parents of NICU babies, the experience can feel overwhelming. Engaging in kangaroo care is not just a way to bond—it also empowers parents, helping them to feel less helpless during such a challenging time.

The Physical and Emotional Benefits of Kangaroo Care

Kangaroo care offers essential bonding opportunities and remarkable physical benefits for newborns. According to the Cleveland Clinic, this practice can enhance breathing patterns, improve oxygen saturation, and stabilize heart rates. Additionally, skin-to-skin contact promotes better sleep, weight gain, and decreased crying, while potentially facilitating breastfeeding.

These positive outcomes are linked to how skin-to-skin contact helps regulate a baby’s temperature and stabilize their heart rate, both of which are crucial for growth. Long-term benefits have also been observed; a 2016 study revealed that kangaroo care has lasting social and behavioral effects that can persist for up to twenty years.

Benefits for Parents, Too

During my time in the NICU with my daughter, I spent countless hours practicing kangaroo care. The calming effects were immediate; I felt my heart rate slow and my stress diminish. Research supports that parents can also reap benefits from this practice, such as enhanced bonding, increased milk production, boosted confidence, and a sense of control during a turbulent time.

New Research Highlights Lifesaving Potential

The recent study included around 3,200 infants funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In this study, one group of babies received kangaroo care immediately after birth, enjoying about 17 hours of skin-to-skin contact daily for the first three days. The other group began care only after reaching stability, receiving roughly 1.5 hours daily. The study was concluded early due to the clear benefits of immediate kangaroo care, which demonstrated a 40% reduction in mortality rates for infants weighing less than 2.0 kg at birth, with an additional 25% decrease for those who started kangaroo care immediately.

Beyond saving lives, immediate kangaroo care reduces the risk of infections and hypothermia while providing more opportunities for breastfeeding.

Potential for NICU Guidelines to Evolve

Given the promising results, the WHO is contemplating changes to its kangaroo care recommendations. To facilitate immediate kangaroo care, it’s crucial that obstetric and neonatal departments work together, particularly if the mother requires ongoing care after delivery. The concept of mother-newborn ICUs, which already exists in some regions, is being championed by experts like Dr. Emiliano Torres from the Karolinska Institute, who states that ongoing skin-to-skin contact in a dedicated care unit is the best approach for nurturing low birth weight infants.

Immediate kangaroo care is undoubtedly lifesaving, and ensuring its availability for all NICU families is a goal worth pursuing.

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In summary, initiating kangaroo care immediately after birth can lead to significant health benefits for premature and low birthweight infants while also providing emotional support to parents. The latest research advocates for changing existing guidelines to prioritize this practice, potentially saving thousands of lives annually.

Keyphrase: Immediate kangaroo care

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