Kangaroo Mother Care

Kangaroo mother care is an essential practice for preterm babies. It involves placing the baby between the mother’s breast with direct skin to skin contact. KMC is essential developmentally supportive practice for preterm babies. It helps in visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory sensitization of the preterm babies which improves the long term neurological outcomes. The above practice is an evidence based practice and standard care for preterm babies. KMC is taught to all mothers whose babies are born premature and have been admitted in NICU for preterm care. Other additional benefits are reduction in sepsis, increase in breast feeding. KMC is to be practiced by mother in hospital as well as at home and to be continued till baby reaches 2.5kgs. Baby will require at-least 6-8 hours of KMC each day. The exact position of KMC and technique is taught by experts in the hospital. Preterm babies should survive with with an intact neurodevelopmental outcome. Remember these babies are the future of the nation.