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When we think of a premature or underweight baby, we automatically think of that little being in an incubator, full of wires and devices to control his heartbeat and warm him up. But what not all people know is that there is another method of receiving, caring for and helping the little baby to develop as expected, gaining weight and the measures he needs. This method is called kangaroo mother !!
The kangaroo mother or “skin-to-skin contact” care is an alternative that some hospitals and maternity hospitals offer so that babies who need special care after birth feel more protected and cherished at that moment. The project was created in 1979 in Colombia and was used for the first time at the Instituto Materno Infantil hospital in Bogotá and got its name due to the way the baby is “kept”, remembering the way the kangaroo takes care of its young. The use of this method was initiated due to the lack of incubators in hospitals to receive and care for the high demand for babies born during that period. After that, it was observed how beneficial this method was and it was carried on until today.
Maternity usually makes available, at the very first moment, t-shirts or appropriate clothes so that the mother can house her baby right after birth close to her. Providing greater contact, skin to skin and offering more comfort for the little baby. There are even studies and research that indicate that kangaroo babies have better development and greater weight gain than those in incubators . In addition, the number of mortality has dropped alarmingly after the start of the kangaroo mother method.
The kangaroo mother method does not have the right time to last, after all everything will depend on the baby’s needs and can last for days and in some cases even months. As full-time care is necessary and contact with the skin makes all the difference, the father can also participate in this moment, intercalating with the mother even when she needs to bathe, eat or even rest a little bit. Since during this period the mother must adapt to a new routine, including at bedtime. Using the almost seated posture so that the baby is well accommodated and not in danger if regurgitis sleeping.
What are the Benefits of Mother Kangaroo?
The kangaroo mother provides several benefits to the baby. Firstly, direct contact with the mother’s skin and warmth from the first moment of life offers comfort and security and gives the feeling of continuity in intrauterine development . The method helps to control the temperature, improve the baby’s blood oxygenation and heart rate. The premature or underweight baby has breathing difficulties that must be observed constantly. At times they may “forget” to breathe, and the fact that they are close to their mother and feel their breath helps them to do the same movement. Other benefits are:
- Stimulates the bond between mother and child
- Decreases the chances of nosocomial infection
- Reduces hospital stay days
- Increases confidence
The baby that is in the kangaroo mother method receives through the mother’s temperature the necessary heating to survive . The kangaroo position helps the baby to breathe better and keeps him protected from choking. Remembering that the recommended and best food for your more agile development is breastfeeding. A good accompaniment with specialists in the area and a lot of love and affection, soon your baby will be able to start his normal and routine life, wasting health and developing properly.
See also: Birth Report Luciana – Two Premature Births Two Wins
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
