Science Behind Kangaroo Care

The benefits are numerous for the parent and the baby.  Here are some of them:

Benefits for the parents include:

• Enhanced attachment and bonding (Tessier et al., 1998).
• Resilience and feelings of confidence, competence, and satisfaction regarding baby care (Tessier et al., 1998; Conde Agudelo, Diaz Rossello, & Belizan, 2003; Kirsten, Bergman, & Hann, 2001).
• Increased milk volume, doubled rates of successful breastfeeding and increased duration of breastfeeding (Mohrbacher & Stock, 2003).
• Physiologically her breasts respond to her infant's thermal needs (Ludington-Hoe et al., 2006).
• Profoundly beneficial for adoptive parents with critically ill preterm infant (Parker L, Anderson GC. , 2002).

Benefits for the babies include:

• Kangaroo Care reduces neonatal mortality (Conde-Agudelo et al, 2011).
• Less incidence and severity of infection (Charpak N, Ruiz-Pelaez JG, Figuero de Calume Z, Charpak Y., 1997).
• Accelerated autonomic and neurobehavioral development (Feldman R, Eidelman, 2003).
• Promotes self-regulation in premature infants: sleep wake cyclicity, arousal modulation, and sustained exploration (Feldman R, Weller A, Sirota L, Eidelman A., 2002).
• Consistently high and stable oxygen saturation levels, lower airway resistance, fewer apnea episodes, and an increased percentage of quiet sleep (Ludington- Hoe, Ferreira, & Goldstein, 1998).
• Stable temperature within normal thermal zone, heart rate, and respiratory rate (Ludington-Hoe et al., 2010).
• Reduced crying associated with painful procedures (Kostandy R, Ludington-Hoe SM, 2008).
• Breast milk is readily available and accessible, and strengthens the infant's immune system.
• The maternal contact causes a calming effect with decreased stress and rapid quiescence (McCain, Ludington-Hoe, Swinth, & Hadeed, 2005; Charpak et el., 2005).
• Reduced physiological and behavioral pain responses (Ludington-Hoe, Hosseini, & Torowicz, 2005).
• Increased weight gain (Charpak, Ruiz-Pelaez, & Figueroa, 2005).
• Enhanced attachment and bonding (Tessier et al., 1998).
• Positive effects on infant's cognitive development (Feldman, Eidelman, Sirota, & Weller, 2002).
• Less nosocomial infection, severe illness, or lower respiratory tract disease (Conde-Argudelo, et. al., 2003).
• Restful sleep (Ludington-Hoe et al., 2006).
• Earlier hospital discharge (London et al., 2006).
• Possible reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (see www.infactcanada.ca).
• Normalized infant growth of premature infants (Charpak, Ruiz-Pelaez, & Figueroa, 2005).
• May be a good intervention for colic (Ellett, Bleah, & Parris, 2002).
• Possible positive effects in motor development of infants (Penalva & Schwartzman, 2006).
• The critical stimuli to which the baby is exposed during KC are:
  Vestibular: the chest movement of the breathing of the parent, and walking if allowed
  Tactile: the skin and natural warmth of the parent on the bottom (chest), on the sides (breast of mother), and the back 
  Olfactory: the scent of the parent and the maternal breast milk.
  Auditory: by the voices and heartbeat of the parent.

To purchase the electronic file of the poster "Science behind KC" click here