Benefits of Kangaroo Care

Kangaroo care, also known as skin-to-skin contact, has great benefits for all newborns, but is especially beneficial to preemie babies in the NICU.

• Regulates baby’s heart rate, breathing, and body temperature
• Helps baby spend more time in deep sleep
• Improves baby’s weight gain
• Increases mother’s milk production for breastfeeding
• Increases bonding between baby and mother (or baby and father if he is practicing kangaroo care)

How to Practice Kangaroo Care

• Hold your diapered baby on your bare chest
• Place a blanket over the baby to keep her warm

Reference:

Kangaroo care. March of Dimes. https://www.marchofdimes.org/baby/kangaroo-care.aspx.

Accessed April 11, 2019.