Kangaroo Care is the practice of providing continuous and prolonged skin-to-skin, chest-to-chest contact between an infant and parent or caregiver. The parent or caregiver’s chest becomes the place of care.
Kangaroo Care is an evidence-based, effective technique for supporting optimal brain growth and development for the baby, while also promoting the health and well-being of the parent or caregiver in the short and long term.
As we celebrate Kangaroo Care Day, it is important to recognize the powerful benefits this practice provides for both infants and their caregivers. Kangaroo care improves survival, health and development outcomes for preterm and low birth weight infants, empowers parents and caregivers, and promotes satisfaction with their own and their infant’s care.
Benefits of Kangaroo Care for the infant and family:
- Helps stabilize temperature, heart and breathing rates
- Supports brain growth and development
- Decreases pain during painful procedures
- Reduces infections by introducing parent or caregiver's good bacteria
- Improves quality and duration of sleep
- Enhances early breastfeeding or chestfeeding behaviours
- Decreases the parent or caregiver's risk of anxiety, stress and depression
- Helps with bonding and attachment
- Increases the parent or caregiver's confidence in ability to care for their infant
- Improves milk supply and long-term breastfeeding or chestfeeding success
PSBC encourages families to do as much Kangaroo Care as possible. We wish all families and healthcare providers in the NICU a Happy International Kangaroo Care Day. We believe in the healing power of a parent or caregiver's touch.
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