Warm Embrace, Healthier Start: Kangaroo Care’s (KC) Impact on Infant Development

Premature birth occurs when a baby is born before the 37th week of pregnancy. A typical pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks (roughly 9 months). Premature babies often face serious health issues, particularly when born very early. These problems can vary, but the earlier a baby is born, the higher the risk of health challenges.

Kangaroo care is a method of caring for premature and full-term babies that involve providing skin-to-skin contact by holding the infant against the parent’s bare chest, and often accompanied by exclusive breast feeding. This practice has been researched extensively in neonatal medicine and has been proven to provide numerous benefits for both premature and full-term babies.

Premature and low birth weight babies who receive kangaroo care have been shown to benefit from the following:  

1. Better Body Temperature Regulation: Newborn infants, especially those born premature, who receive kangaroo care are able to maintain normal body temperature better than others.
2. Higher Success Rates of Exclusive Breastfeeding: During kangaroo care, the skin-to-skin contact increases maternal levels of oxytocin, a hormone responsible for breast milk production. 
3. Enhanced Respiratory and Cardiovascular Function: Skin-to-skin contact has been shown to regulate breathing and heart rates, improve respiratory function and oxygen levels in premature babies.
4. Increased Weight Gain: Premature and low birth weight infants who receive kangaroo care tend to achieve and maintain healthy physical growth. 
5. Reduced Risk of Infection: Kangaroo care helps strengthen the baby's immune system, reducing the risk of infections, including hospital-acquired infections.
6. Improved Neurodevelopment: The close physical contact and sensory stimulation provided by kangaroo care can positively impact the baby's brain development and cognitive function.
7. Enhanced Bonding and Attachment: Kangaroo care helps foster a strong emotional bond between the parent and the newborn infant, which is crucial for the baby's social and emotional development.
8. Reduced Stress, Pain & Anxiety: Skin-to-skin contact has been shown to reduce the stress and anxiety of not only the newborn infant, but also that of the parent/kangaroo care provider. Research studies have shown that pain experienced by newborn infants from medical procedures is alleviated when kangaroo care is provided simultaneously. 

While kangaroo care has been studied primarily in premature babies, it also offers similar benefits for full-term babies. Amongst the advantages of kangaroo care for full-term babies are improved breastfeeding outcomes, whereby it can enhance the duration and exclusivity of breastfeeding by promoting early and frequent nursing. Additionally, it promotes bonding and attachment, and reduces anxiety and stress for both infant and parent.

Kangaroo care is a simple, non-invasive and cost-effective intervention that can provide significant benefits for newborn infants and caregivers, making it an essential component of modern neonatal and paediatric care.

Dr. Elaine Wong Ee Lane

Consultant Paediatrician & Neonatologist 

Gleneagles Hospital Kuala Lumpur 

This article was first published on The Expat Magazine, August 2024 edition.


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