KANGAROO CARE
Kangaroo care is the process of spending extended periods of time 'wearing' your baby. In its strictest form, the baby is held naked(diapered) chest to chest between the mother's breasts. In a modified version, often used for full term babies, the baby is simply held fully clothed most of the time in a baby sling or Snuggly against the mother's chest. The idea is to provide a more gradual transition from womb to world. The results are dramatic and include faster weight gain, better milk supply in the mother, less crying, less sleep apnea, easier temperature regulation in the newborn and most importantly a vastly increased sense of bonding between the newborn and the mother.
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http://www.kangaroomothercare.com/default.htm Mother kangaroo is a mammal (just like us), and feeds its baby milk like we do (or like we should!) from a nipple inside its pouch. The pouch covers the baby with skin, and this not only protects the very immature baby, but also provides it with a total environment which is essential for development. This includes warmth, food, comfort, stimulation, protection. The baby is CARRIED for all this time, without interruption !
Most mammals have young which are born able to fend for themselves. The human baby is extremely immature compared to such mammals, which is also the case for kangaroos, and other “marsupials”. These similarities to marsupial care is why we call it Kangaroo Care. But it is the MOTHER which is essential for the baby! For the human immature baby, the mother’s chest provides the essentials: warmth, breast milk, comfort, stimulation and protection. And so we prefer to call it Kangaroo Mother Care or KMC |
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