Kangaroo Care Benefits
By Krisanne Larimer
The Benefits of Kangaroo Care
Kangaroo Care has been studied in depth
since 1983 when neonatologists Edgar Rey
and Hector Martinez first implemented it
in Bogota, Columbia. Kangaroo Care
consists of placing a diaper clad
premature baby in an upright position on a
parent's bare chest - tummy to tummy, in
between the breasts. The baby's head is
turned so that the ear is above the
parent's heart. Due to lack of power and
reliable equipment, Kangaroo Care was
found to be an inexpensive and very
beneficial experience to babies in Bogota.
The mortality rate fell from 70 % to 30
%.
Most studies have proven that Kangaroo
Care has a major, positive impact on
babies and their parents; some studies
have proven there is no change; but no
study has proven that Kangaroo Care has
hurt either parent or baby. In this
article, my goal is to inform parents,
nurses, and doctors on the benefits of
Kangaroo Care. I have selected one study
or article in each group that best sums up
all the studies done to date. If anyone
wants a complete copy of all Kangaroo Care
research, please feel free to E-mail me at
krisanne@ri
s.net.
Sleep Time/Colic
Researchers have come a long way in
determining the major cause of colic. The
common conclusion in 1999 is that colic is
caused by a baby's (whether premature or
full term) inability to transition from
one sleep state to another - like from an
alert state into a sleep state and back
again. The gas associated from colic is
caused by the excess of crying during
these transitions. Kangaroo Care
performed in a quiet, low light
environment with ANY baby has been proven
to reduce crying and help the baby learn
to transition from one sleep state to
another. A study done by Patricia
Messmer, et al (Pediatric Nursing,23 (4):
408-414) in 1997 found a significant
increase in sleep time for the neonates
during Kangaroo Care. I want to impress
upon all that Kangaroo Care works just as
well with full term infants as it does
with premature infants.
Apnea, Brady, O2 Saturation, Respiration
and Heart Rate
The newest studies that are being done in
Sweden and other countries concentrate on
full term babies in respiratory distress.
They take these babies, who would normally
be put on respirators, and place them on
the mom's chest immediately after birth in
the Kangaroo Care position. Babies stayed
on mom until the respiratory distress was
gone - within 48 hours for most babies.
Oxygen hoods and canulas were used if
needed. In preterm babies, the effects of
Kangaroo Care on these functions is just
as dramatic. In 1998, Susan Ludington
(Acta Paediatrica,87 (6): 711-713 ) found
a four-fold decrease in apnea during
Kangaroo Care and mechanically ventilated
babies were able to tolerate transfer and
position changes without increased oxygen
requirements. In 1997, GM Cleary, et al
(J. American Osteopathic Assoc., 97 (
: 457-460) concluded
there was no increase in bradycardia
episodes during Kangaroo Care. In 1998,
Gay Gale and Kathleen Vandenburg (Neonatal
Network, 17 (5): 1-3) concluded that the
heart rate was more regular for Kangarooed
infants. All-in-all, the baby fared much
better when placed in Kangaroo Care. With
my own ventilated preemie (1 pound 12
ounces at birth) I noticed a 50% reduction
in oxygen requirements, no apneas or
bradys, more stable heart rate, and more
spontaneous respiration when I held her
skin-to-skin.
Body Tempature and Lactation
I believe this is truly the most amazing
benefit of Kangaroo Care. In 1990, Susan
Ludington (Heart and Lung, 19 (5):
445-451) concluded that mothers showed
thermal synchrony with their babies. A
recent study placed babies in Kangaroo
Care position on the mother's chest and
temperatures were taken periodically of
both the mother's chest and the baby. The
study concluded that when the baby got
cold, the mother's body temperature would
increase to 'warm' the baby up. The
reverse was also true. Given a suggestion
of "Your baby looks warm to me" by a
nurse, the mother's chest temperature
would decrease within minutes to
compensate. Extra blankets and
monitoring of baby's temperature might be
needed when Dad or others practice
Kangaroo Care, but in 1997, Karl Bauer, et
al (Journal of Pediatrics, 130 (2):
240-244) concluded that one hour of
skin-to-skin contact (Kangaroo Care) was
no cold stress to preterm infants.
In 1998, Papi A Gomez, et al (An Esp
Pediatr 1998 Jun;48 (6): 631-633 -
Spanish) found infants in Kangaroo Care
for > 50 minutes were 8 times more
likely to breast feed spontaneously.
Kangaroo Care allows for easy access to
the breast, and the skin-to-skin contact
increases milk let-down. A receiving
blanket, strategically placed to catch
extra milk is extremely helpful -
especially if the baby is unable to breast
feed.
Weight Gain/ Shorter Hospital Stay
Holly Richardson (Why Does it Work?
International Midwife Winter. 1997.)
concluded that more rapid weight gain was
observed in Kangarooed infants. The NICU
is a busy, noisy place. Kangaroo Care
allows the baby to fall into a deep sleep,
there by conserving their energy for far
more important things. Left alone on a
warming table, a baby cries more and
sleeps less.
This increased weight gain also leads to
shorter hospital stays. N Charpak, et al
(Pediatrics, vol. 100 #4: Oct 1997, pg
682-689) showed a shorter hospital stay in
the Kangaroo Care group; primarily in
infants -/<1800 grams. Kangarooed
infants can have as much as a 50% shorter
hospital stay than babies who aren't
Kangarooed. This in turn means less
expense for the hospitals and/or parents.
Conclusion
In 1998, Gay Gale and Kathleen Vandenburg
(Neonatal Network, 12 (6): 49-57) found an
increased intimacy and attachment between
baby and parent. Kangaroo Care was found
to help a parent feel connected. Eye
contact led to an experience of "knowing"
infant.
I wish that every doctor and nurse in this
country could experience Kangaroo Care
themselves. As a Mom who was able to
Kangaroo her little 1 1/2 pound miracle
for two hours every day, I have few words
to describe my experience so that others
can truly understand. You can liken it to
a full term delivery where the baby is
immediately placed on mom's chest, kicking
and screaming, then quieting to look into
mom and dad's face with wonder. Holding
that tiny body next to mine, feeling her
little hand clutch my collar bone, feeling
her drift off to sleep in my arms....
truly the most amazing experience of my
life. I hope that soon, VERY soon, all
parents of premature infants will be able
to experience the same.
Copyright 1999 Krisanne Larimer
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Krisanne Larimer is the mother of Kaia
Michele (24 weeker) and Katherine Elsie
(full term). She is the author of
"Kangarooing Our Little Miracles" - a
booklet with personal stories of parents'
first Kangaroo experiences. To order,
contact her at
roopage@ya
hoo.com or visit her website.
