Kangaroo Mother Care in two Swedish NICUs

• Aim:To describe initiation and the extent of parents’ application of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC).Methods:The exact duration of which 104 preterm infants were cared for skin-to-skin was recorded in the infants’ medical charts during their hospital stay: the parents answered a questionnaire.Results:Both parents were involved in the practice of KMC. Three infants experienced KMC directly after birth, 34 within one hour, 85 within 24 hours, and the remaining 19 infants at 24 – 78 h post birth. KMC commenced earlier (median age of 50 minutes) in infants whose first KMC contact was with their father than with their mother (median age of 649 minutes: p < 0.000). The earlier KMC was initiated, the more the infant was cared for with KMC per day during his/her hospital stay (p < 0.000). The median daily duration of KMC was 403 minutes.Conclusion:Early initiation of KMC had a positive impact on the extent of parents’ application of the method. Even though the infants in this study were cared for with KMC to a high extent there is a potential for extended use of KMC in this type of hospital setting for reducing separation between infants and parents.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Pediatrik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Pediatrics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Kangaro Mother Care

Parenting

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Pediatrics

Pediatrik

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

art (subject category)