KANGAROO CARE
UCL DEPARTMENT  OF  PSYCHOLOGY

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Kangaroo Care Benefits

The KC procedure does not increase the risk of mortality for premature infants. On the contrary, it provides a physical environment as safe as the incubator. For this reason, the technique is now practiced in many developed as well as developing countries (Charpark, Ruiz-Pelaez, Charpark & Rey-Martinez, 1994; Sloan, Camacho, Rojas & Stem, 1994).   

                             

Physiological evidence

Babies spend more time in quiet sleep (Acolet et al., 1989) and this result persists after 6 months (Gale et al., 1993)

Longer alert states and less crying at 6 months (Whitelaw et al., 1988)

Their heart rate is lower and more stable (Ludington et al., 1996)

Apnea and bradycardia decrease (Fohe et al., 2000)

Body temperature is maintained and oxygenation and gas exchange improves (Fischer et al, 1998; Ludington & Golant, 1993; Acolet et al., 1989; Bauer et al., 1996; Fohe et al., 2000)

Improvement of arousal regulation and stress reactivity (Michelsson et al., 1996; Mooncey et al., 1997)

Analgesic effect during painful medical procedure (Gray, Watt, & Blass, 2000)

Prolonged and augmented breastfeeding rates (Charpark, Figueroa, & Ruiz, 1998; Ramanathan et al., 2001)

Faster growth rates and earlier discharge from hospital (Kambrani, Chdede, & Kowo, 1999)  

 

Psychological evidence

Mothers reported more positive feelings towards the baby and lower maternal stress (Tallandini & Scalembra, 2006)

Mother had a better sense of their parenting role (Affonso et al.,1993)

Mothers were less depressed (Feldman, 2002)

Perceived their infant as less abnormal (Feldman, 2002)

Increased maternal behaviour during hospitalisation period (Feldman, 2002)

Mothers felt more confident and competent in meeting their baby needs (Tessier et al., 1998)

Babies were more alert and more responsive (Feldman et al., 2002; Tessier et al., 1998; Tallandini & Scalembra, in press)

Babies had higher developmental rates (Feldman et al., 2002)

Babies improved their abilities to make understandable requests and to make appropriate responses to maternal stimulation (Tallandini & Scalembra, 2006)

Following KC procedure being adopted by the mother, mother and father were more sensitive and less intrusive, the family style was more cohesive positive and it has shown a long term positive effect on the whole family environment (Feldman et al.,  2003)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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