yulius hermanto
Kangaroo Mother Care
Introduction
Nowadays, with the advanced in medical science and technology especially in perinatalogy. The amount of infant death rate is being reduced significantly. But, we are facing a more complicated newborn e.g. low-birthweight and premature baby. Since most infant deaths occurs in neonatal period about 2/3 total of infant death. And low-birthweight infants have higher risk of death since its related to its immaturity.
Eventhough, better management in hospital can prevent infant mortality especially in developed countries. But the cost in hospital care is high and not applicable in developing nations, so the new method is needed, that is simple, practical and cheap.
Kangaroo Mother Care is introduced by WHO for management of low-birthweight infant, that improved survival of low-birthweight infant.
Definition
Kangaroo Mother care is a special way of caring of low birth weight babies. It fosters their health and well being by promoting effective thermal control, breastfeeding, infection prevention and bonding.
With Kangaroo Mother Care, the baby and the mother is continuously kept in skin-to-skin contact and breastfed exclusively to the utmost extent, KMC is
initiated in the hospital and continued at home.
Two components of KMC:
Skin-to-skin contact
Early, continuous and prolonged skin-to-skin contact between the mother and her baby is the basic component of KMC. The infant is placed on her mother's chest between the breasts.
Exclusive breastfeeding
The baby on KMC is breastfed exclusively. Skin-to-skin contact promotes lactation and facilitates the feeding interaction.
Benefits of KMC
Breastfeeding: Studies have revealed that KMC results in increased breastfeeding rates as well as increased duration of breastfeeding. Even when initiated late and for a limited time during day and night, KMC has been shown to exert a beneficial effect on breastfeeding.
Thermal control: Prolonged skin-to-skin contact between the mother and her preterm/ LBW infant provides effective thermal control with a reduced risk of hypothermia. For stable babies, KMC is at least equivalent to conventional care with incubators in terms of safety and thermal protection.
Early discharge: Studies have shown that KMC cared LBW infants could be discharged from the hospital earlier than the conventionally managed babies. The babies gained more weight on KMC than on conventional care.
Less morbidity: Babies receiving KMC have more regular breathing and less predisposition to apnea. KMC protects against nosocomial infections. Even after discharge from the hospital, the morbidity amongst babies managed by KMC is less. KMC is associated with reduced incidence of severe illness
including pneumonia during infancy.
Other effects: KMC helps both infants and parents. Mothers are less stressed during kangaroo care as compared with a baby kept in incubator. Mothers prefer skin-to-skin contact to conventional care. They report a stronger bonding with the baby, increased confidence, and a deep satisfaction that theywere able to do something special for their babies. Fathers felt more relaxed, comfortable and better bonded while providing kangaroo care.
All stable LBW babies are eligible for KMC. However, very sick babies needing special care should be cared under radiant warmer initially. KMC should be started after the baby is hemo -dynamically stable.
The KMC procedure
• The baby should be placed between the mother's breasts in an upright position.
• The head should be turned to one side and in a slightly extended position. This slightly extended head position keeps the airway open and allows eye
to eye contact between the mother and her baby.
• The hips should be flexed and abducted in a "frog" position; the arms should also be flexed.
• Baby's abdomen should be at the level of the mother's epigastrium. Mother's breathing stimulates the baby, thus reducing the occurrence of apnea.
• Support the baby’s bottom with a sling/binder.
Duration of KMC
Skin-to-skin contact should start gradually in the nursery, with a smooth transition from conventional care to continuous KMC.
Sessions that last less than one hour should be avoided because frequent handling may be stressful for the baby.
The length of skin-to-skin contacts should be gradually increased up to 24 hours a day, interrupted only for changing diapers.
When the baby does not require intensive care, she should be transferred to the post-natal ward where KMC should be continued.
Nowadays, with the advanced in medical science and technology especially in perinatalogy. The amount of infant death rate is being reduced significantly. But, we are facing a more complicated newborn e.g. low-birthweight and premature baby. Since most infant deaths occurs in neonatal period about 2/3 total of infant death. And low-birthweight infants have higher risk of death since its related to its immaturity.
Eventhough, better management in hospital can prevent infant mortality especially in developed countries. But the cost in hospital care is high and not applicable in developing nations, so the new method is needed, that is simple, practical and cheap.
Kangaroo Mother Care is introduced by WHO for management of low-birthweight infant, that improved survival of low-birthweight infant.
Definition
Kangaroo Mother care is a special way of caring of low birth weight babies. It fosters their health and well being by promoting effective thermal control, breastfeeding, infection prevention and bonding.
With Kangaroo Mother Care, the baby and the mother is continuously kept in skin-to-skin contact and breastfed exclusively to the utmost extent, KMC is
initiated in the hospital and continued at home.
Two components of KMC:
Skin-to-skin contact
Early, continuous and prolonged skin-to-skin contact between the mother and her baby is the basic component of KMC. The infant is placed on her mother's chest between the breasts.
Exclusive breastfeeding
The baby on KMC is breastfed exclusively. Skin-to-skin contact promotes lactation and facilitates the feeding interaction.
Benefits of KMC
Breastfeeding: Studies have revealed that KMC results in increased breastfeeding rates as well as increased duration of breastfeeding. Even when initiated late and for a limited time during day and night, KMC has been shown to exert a beneficial effect on breastfeeding.
Thermal control: Prolonged skin-to-skin contact between the mother and her preterm/ LBW infant provides effective thermal control with a reduced risk of hypothermia. For stable babies, KMC is at least equivalent to conventional care with incubators in terms of safety and thermal protection.
Early discharge: Studies have shown that KMC cared LBW infants could be discharged from the hospital earlier than the conventionally managed babies. The babies gained more weight on KMC than on conventional care.
Less morbidity: Babies receiving KMC have more regular breathing and less predisposition to apnea. KMC protects against nosocomial infections. Even after discharge from the hospital, the morbidity amongst babies managed by KMC is less. KMC is associated with reduced incidence of severe illness
including pneumonia during infancy.
Other effects: KMC helps both infants and parents. Mothers are less stressed during kangaroo care as compared with a baby kept in incubator. Mothers prefer skin-to-skin contact to conventional care. They report a stronger bonding with the baby, increased confidence, and a deep satisfaction that theywere able to do something special for their babies. Fathers felt more relaxed, comfortable and better bonded while providing kangaroo care.
All stable LBW babies are eligible for KMC. However, very sick babies needing special care should be cared under radiant warmer initially. KMC should be started after the baby is hemo -dynamically stable.
The KMC procedure
• The baby should be placed between the mother's breasts in an upright position.
• The head should be turned to one side and in a slightly extended position. This slightly extended head position keeps the airway open and allows eye
to eye contact between the mother and her baby.
• The hips should be flexed and abducted in a "frog" position; the arms should also be flexed.
• Baby's abdomen should be at the level of the mother's epigastrium. Mother's breathing stimulates the baby, thus reducing the occurrence of apnea.
• Support the baby’s bottom with a sling/binder.
Duration of KMC
Skin-to-skin contact should start gradually in the nursery, with a smooth transition from conventional care to continuous KMC.
Sessions that last less than one hour should be avoided because frequent handling may be stressful for the baby.
The length of skin-to-skin contacts should be gradually increased up to 24 hours a day, interrupted only for changing diapers.
When the baby does not require intensive care, she should be transferred to the post-natal ward where KMC should be continued.
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KMC provides warmth, bondage between mom and child, that better than conventional method