Kangaroo Mother Care

Kangaroo mother care is a way of keeping the infant warm by maintaining her mother and her newborn baby in constant skin-to-skin contact. Kangaroo mother caring for premature infant carried skin to skin with mother. It is the most effective technique to keep a little baby warm and also aids in the establishment of breastfeeding. A simple, affordable, and biologically sound approach to treatment for low birth weight newborns is widely available.

Components

1. From the mother's chest, the newborns get skin-to-skin contact. The more skin-to-skin contact, the better. A nappy is acceptable for comfort, and a cap can be utilized for warmth. Skin-to-skin contact is optimal from birth and can be beneficial at any time.
2. Breastfeeding exclusively: The baby begins breastfeeding one hour after birth and continues every 2-3 hours. The cloth that wraps around the mother and baby is given to them without being separated.
3. Supporting the mother is providing everything that is required for the medical, emotional, psychological, and physical well-being of the mother and infant without separating them.

Types of Kangaroo Mother Care

1. Continuous kangaroo mother care:
   While kangaroo mother care is practiced for at least 24 hours, except when changing the diaper of a breastfeeding mother.
2. Partial or intermittent kangaroo mother care:
   It is less than 24 hours, but no fewer than 3 hours every day.

Advantages of Kangaroo Mother Care

To the Baby

• Breathing becomes more regular, and strokes grow more frequently.
• The newborn's temperature returns to normal.
• Infections are decreasing.
• Better cognitive development is associated with higher IQ.

To the Mother

• Emotionally, the mother gets more devoted to her infant.
• The mother gets confidence in her ability to care for her delicate kid.
• Small mother is more relaxed and confident.

To the Health Facilities

• It saves money on medical equipment and employees.
• With better resource utilization, pricey equipment can only be utilized for the really sick.
• Reduce the cost of addressing children's issues.

To the Nation

• KMC produces healthier and more intelligent offspring, adding to the nation's wealth.
• Neonatal mortality and morbidity were reduced.
• Simple, universally applicable, and inexpensive.

Facilities, equipment, and supplies

Mother’s Needs

• Mothers can spend the day and night in two bedrooms of moderate size.
• The rooms should provide comfy seats for the mothers, as well as enough pillows to help them rest and sleep.
• Curtains can help with privacy.
• Small babies should be kept warm in their rooms.
• The only special component required for KMC is the support binders. It allows moms to safely hold their babies close to their chest by placing the baby between the mother's breasts in an upright position.

Baby’s Needs

• The baby does not require any more clothing than a typical infant.
• If KMC is not continuous, place the infant in a warm coat.
• Other supplies and equipment: They are identical to those for convention care.
• Thermometer
• Scales having log intervals, preferably newborn scales
• Oxygen and basic resuscitation equipment should be accessible.

Procedure of Kangaroo Mother Care

• Explain to the mother and the farmer why a premature baby requires KMC.
• Describe the advantages of KMC.
• Begin using KMC as soon as possible.
• Make sure the temperature in the room is at least 25°C.
• Cloth the infant in a pre-warmed shirt with an open front, a napkin, a cap, and socks.
• In an upright position, place the baby between the mother's breast and the baby's feet below the mother's breast, with the baby's hand above (baby's hips and elbows flexed into a frog-like stance).
• Place the baby on the mother's chest, under her clothes, and cover with a warm blanket.
• Special clothing is not required as long as the mother's clothing keeps the infant firmly and comfortably in contact with her skin.
• To secure the baby, use a long piece of cloth or a binder (secure him or her to the binder).
• Place the binder directly behind the baby's ear.
• Wrap the wrap around the knot.
• The wrap should not be so tight that it restricts the baby's movement. Allow space for the baby's abdominal breathing.
• The clot should be strong enough so that the baby does not fall out when the woman stands up.
• The top of the binder, right beneath the baby's ear, provides for eye-to-eye contact. 
• Request that the mother put on her blouse or dress. Make sure you wear clothing that is loose and has an adequate opening in the front so that the baby's face is not covered and nursing is easy.

Caring for the Baby in Kangaroo Position

Show the mother how to insert and remove the baby from the binder. (As the mother becomes more comfortable with this technique, her fear of injuring the baby will fade.) They should be kept away from skin-to-skin contact exclusively for the following reasons:

• Diaper-changing
• Cord hygiene and care
• Clinical evaluation, in accordance with hospital schedules, or as needed.
• Bathing every day is unnecessary and not advised.

Breastfeeding

• Breastfeeding the baby at least every 2 to 2.5 hours on-demand.
• Allow the mother to attempt breastfeeding when the infant is waking from sleep or awake and alert.
• Allow the mother to sit comfortably and, if required, assist her in correcting positioning and attachment.
• If the baby cannot be breastfed, have the mother express breast milk using a cup, dropper, syringe, or tube feeding.

Daily life for the Mother

• The mother is reminded of the need of washing her hands frequently.
• During the day, the mother in the KMC position can do whatever she wants. She can work, stand, sit, lie down, or participate in various recreational activities.
• During KMC, the optimum resting posture for the mother is a reclining position (upper body raised 3 degrees) to keep the baby's head up. She may also prefer to sleep on her side.
• When the mother needs time away from the infant for hygiene or other reasons, another family member (father, grandmother, aunty) may engage in brief skin-to-skin contact.

Monitoring Baby’s Condition

• Temperature: Measured twice daily
• Observing breathing and overall health
• Assure the mother that the infant is safe if he or she sneezes or has hiccups.
• Soft stools are passed after each feed, but no stools are passed for 2-3 days.
• Teach the mother how to spot danger indications (e.g. apnoea, decreased movement, lethargy, or poor feeding)
• Teach the mother to pay attention to the baby's breastfeeding.

Monitoring Growth

• The average daily weight growth for the first 24 weeks of life is 15g/kg/day.
• Circumference of the head: Weekly head circumference measurements (increased by between 0.5 and 1 cm per week)
• Stimulation