Kangaroo Mother Care--an Alternative to Conventional Care

Overview

Journal Indian J Pediatr

Specialty Pediatrics

Date 2008 Jun 10

PMID 18537012

Citations 5

Authors

Anu Thukral

Deepak Chawla

Ramesh Agarwal

Ashok K Deorari

Vinod K Paul

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The term kangaroo mother care (KMC) is derived from practical similarities to marsupial care-giving, i.e., the premature infant is kept warm in the maternal pouch and close to the breasts for unlimited feeding. It is a gentle and effective method that avoids agitation routinely experienced in a busy ward with preterm infants. An important main stay of kangaroo mother care is breastfeeding encouragement. Observational studies have shown reduction in mortality after institution of KMC. Preterm babies exposed to skin to skin contact showed a better mental development and better results in motor tests. It also improves thermal care. All stable LBW babies are candidate for KMC. Often this is desirable, until the baby's gestation reaches term or the weight is around 2500 g. The mother and family members are encouraged to take care of the baby in KMC and should be counseled to come for follow-up visits regularly.

Citing Articles

Improving the Duration and Rate of Home-Based Kangaroo Mother Care: A Before-and-After Intervention Study.

Patawat M, Choudhary R, Jain M, Chanchalani R, Jain A Cureus. 2023; 15(4):e37861.

PMID: 37223204 PMC: 10204614. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.37861.

Effect of kangaroo mother care on vital physiological parameters of the low birth weight newborn.

Bera A, Ghosh J, Singh A, Hazra A, Som T, Munian D Indian J Community Med. 2014; 39(4):245-9.

PMID: 25364150 PMC: 4215507. DOI: 10.4103/0970-0218.143030.

Effect of intermittent kangaroo mother care on weight gain of low birth weight neonates with delayed weight gain.

Samra N, Taweel A, Cadwell K J Perinat Educ. 2014; 22(4):194-200.

PMID: 24868132 PMC: 4010854. DOI: 10.1891/1058-1243.22.4.194.

The Effect of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) on Breast Feeding at the Time of NICU Discharge.

Heidarzadeh M, Hosseini M, Ershadmanesh M, Gholamitabar Tabari M, Khazaee S Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2013; 15(4):302-6.

PMID: 24083002 PMC: 3785903. DOI: 10.5812/ircmj.2160.

Knowledge and awareness about benefits of Kangaroo Mother Care.

Muddu G, Boju S, Chodavarapu R Indian J Pediatr. 2013; 80(10):799-803.

PMID: 23749416 DOI: 10.1007/s12098-013-1073-0.

References

Whitelaw A, Heisterkamp G, Sleath K, Acolet D, Richards M . Skin to skin contact for very low birthweight infants and their mothers. Arch Dis Child. 1988; 63(11):1377-81. PMC: 1779160. DOI: 10.1136/adc.63.11.1377. View

Hurst N, Valentine C, Renfro L, Burns P, Ferlic L . Skin-to-skin holding in the neonatal intensive care unit influences maternal milk volume. J Perinatol. 1997; 17(3):213-7. View

Carlson S, Cooke R, Rhodes P, Peeples J, Werkman S, Tolley E . Long-term feeding of formulas high in linolenic acid and marine oil to very low birth weight infants: phospholipid fatty acids. Pediatr Res. 1991; 30(5):404-12. DOI: 10.1203/00006450-199111000-00003. View

. Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. American Academy of Pediatrics. Work Group on Breastfeeding. Pediatrics. 1997; 100(6):1035-9. DOI: 10.1542/peds.100.6.1035. View

Amin S, Merle K, Orlando M, Dalzell L, Guillet R . Brainstem maturation in premature infants as a function of enteral feeding type. Pediatrics. 2000; 106(2 Pt 1):318-22. DOI: 10.1542/peds.106.2.318. View

Ludington-Hoe S, Hadeed A, Anderson G . Physiologic responses to skin-to-skin contact in hospitalized premature infants. J Perinatol. 1991; 11(1):19-24. View

Affonso D, Wahlberg V, Persson B . Exploration of mothers' reactions to the kangaroo method of prematurity care. Neonatal Netw. 1989; 7(6):43-51. View

Cattaneo A, Davanzo R, Worku B, Surjono A, Echeverria M, Bedri A . Kangaroo mother care for low birthweight infants: a randomized controlled trial in different settings. Acta Paediatr. 1998; 87(9):976-85. DOI: 10.1080/080352598750031653. View

Carlson S, Werkman S, Rhodes P, Tolley E . Visual-acuity development in healthy preterm infants: effect of marine-oil supplementation. Am J Clin Nutr. 1993; 58(1):35-42. DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/58.1.35. View

10.

Bergman N, Linley L, Fawcus S . Randomized controlled trial of skin-to-skin contact from birth versus conventional incubator for physiological stabilization in 1200- to 2199-gram newborns. Acta Paediatr. 2004; 93(6):779-85. DOI: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2004.tb03018.x. View

11.

Ramanathan K, Paul V, Deorari A, Taneja U, George G . Kangaroo Mother Care in very low birth weight infants. Indian J Pediatr. 2002; 68(11):1019-23. DOI: 10.1007/BF02722345. View

12.

Sloan N, Camacho L, Rojas E, Stern C . Kangaroo mother method: randomised controlled trial of an alternative method of care for stabilised low-birthweight infants. Maternidad Isidro Ayora Study Team. Lancet. 1994; 344(8925):782-5. DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(94)92341-8. View

13.

Suman R, Udani R, Nanavati R . Kangaroo mother care for low birth weight infants: a randomized controlled trial. Indian Pediatr. 2008; 45(1):17-23. View

14.

Bergman N, Jurisoo L . The 'kangaroo-method' for treating low birth weight babies in a developing country. Trop Doct. 1994; 24(2):57-60. DOI: 10.1177/004947559402400205. View

15.

Charpak N, Ruiz-Pelaez J, Figueroa de C Z, Charpak Y . Kangaroo mother versus traditional care for newborn infants </=2000 grams: a randomized, controlled trial. Pediatrics. 1997; 100(4):682-8. DOI: 10.1542/peds.100.4.682. View

16.

Lucas A, Morley R, Cole T, Lister G . Breast milk and subsequent intelligence quotient in children born preterm. Lancet. 1992; 339(8788):261-4. DOI: 10.1016/0140-6736(92)91329-7. View

17.

Kadam S, Binoy S, Kanbur W, Mondkar J, Fernandez A . Feasibility of kangaroo mother care in Mumbai. Indian J Pediatr. 2005; 72(1):35-8. DOI: 10.1007/BF02760578. View

18.

Conde-Agudelo A, Diaz-Rossello J, Belizan J . Kangaroo mother care to reduce morbidity and mortality in low birthweight infants. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003; (2):CD002771. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD002771. View

19.

Mann N, Haddow R, Stokes L, Goodley S, Rutter N . Effect of night and day on preterm infants in a newborn nursery: randomised trial. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1986; 293(6557):1265-7. PMC: 1342106. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.293.6557.1265. View

20.

Charpak N, Ruiz-Pelaez J, Charpak Y . Rey-Martinez Kangaroo Mother Program: an alternative way of caring for low birth weight infants? One year mortality in a two cohort study. Pediatrics. 1994; 94(6 Pt 1):804-10. View