Skin to skin benefits babies — and new parents
Kangaroo care – “skin to skin” – is a fundamental care practice where a new parent holds their diaper-clad babies on their bare chest just like a kangaroo. It’s recommended right after birth and then on an ongoing basis to keep the baby calm and warm, for bonding between the new parent and baby and to encourage breastfeeding. The practice was first introduced 25 years ago and since has been adopted around the world as a beneficial, safe practice for all newborns – including preterm babies.
Earlier this year, our NICU team entered and won an international contest called the Kangaroo Care Challenge, which asked hospitals to encourage the holding of babies skin-to-skin every day for as many hours as possible. Parents in our NICU held their babies for an average of 4.5 hours a day during the challenge.
“For every new mom and parent we see, we recommend kangaroo care because there are so many benefits,” said Meena Patel, a nurse in our NICU. “Winning this challenge shows how committed our teams are to sharing best practices with the new parents and babies we care for.”