Kangaroo Care is skin-to-skin contact with your baby; this is when your baby is placed against your chest.  

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“Unicef uk state Skin-to-skin contact is a key part of the Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative standards. It helps the baby to adjust to life outside the womb and is highly important for supporting mothers and fathers to initiate breastfeeding and to develop a close, loving relationship with their baby.”

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Kangaroo Care Reduces cortisol (stress) levels particularly following painful procedures in both mother and baby. It is also beneficial in preventing postnatal depression and helps parents to feel closer to their babies and more confident in caring for them.

 

Kangaroo Care has many other benefits:  

• Calms and relaxes both mother, father and baby

• Regulates the baby’s temperature, heart rate, breathing and Improves oxygen saturation levels. This all plays a vital role in helping them to better adapt to life outside the womb.

• Improvements with lactation and with establishing breastfeeding

• Stimulates digestion and an interest in feeding, better weight gain for the baby.

• Enables colonisation of the baby’s skin with the mother’s friendly bacteria, thus providing protection against infection

• Stimulates the release of hormones to support breastfeeding and mothering. Stimulates your own milk supply.

 

Kangaroo Care can be used with babies with high medical needs, but this will require careful planning and collaboration with the neonatal staff, speak to your medical team for further support and information. Don’t be scared to ask about Kangaroo Care, plan a good time and comfortable place for you to try this with your baby. With the right planning you can cuddle for as long as you are both comfortable. Sit back, relax and enjoy.