Kangarooing – characteristics, benefits, origin

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Kangarooing has now become fashionable around the world. Kangarooing is used especially in wards for premature babies and in neonatal wards. Today, this method of care is also popular in most homes. Keep in mind that the benefits of kangarooing often only become apparent after several years. What is kangaroo and what are the benefits?

Kangarooing has many advantages. Its popularity is huge today. It’s hard to ignore the positive effect of kangarooing, and the care itself is pure pleasure for both parents and the newborn baby. So it’s good to know how to start.

Kangarooing – characteristics

Kangarooing is a very natural way of caring for a newborn or infant. Today, this form of care is considered to be the best way of contacting a parent for a child.

Kangarooing is a direct physical contact between a child and a parent, i.e. skin to skin.

The newborn baby is completely vulnerable and dependent on adults. In order for a child to feel safe, most often it is sufficient for the mother’s body it knows best. Kangarooing ensures that the newborn has all its physical and emotional needs met. Thanks to this form of care, the child’s brain works much better and the child can develop calmly.

It is worth knowing that the mother and baby should not be disturbed while kangarooing. They should focus only on themselves. This is especially important in preterm or newborn units. Kangaroo sessions are only interrupted for medical reasons.

Kangarooing – benefits

Kangarooing should last at least an hour and be repeated often, even several times a day. During this time, many good changes take place in the body of the child and the parent, the effects of which can only be seen after some time. The many benefits of kangarooing pay off even years later.

Kangaroo benefits include:

  1. establishing a close bond between parent and child;
  2. parents are more likely to respond appropriately to their child’s emotional and physical needs;
  3. it is easier for moms with baby kangaroo to breastfeed;
  4. reduction of tension, stress and stabilization of vital functions;
  5. restful sleep, which accelerates the maturation of the nervous system;
  6. Kangaroo babies tend to be less weepy and are generally more cheerful even at the age of 3;
  7. relieving pain associated with, for example, vaccination;
  8. stable weight gain;
  9. lower risk of nosocomial infections and respiratory diseases;
  10. faster discharge from the neonatal unit;
  11. faster uterine contraction and less postpartum bleeding;
  12. building a bond with the child (e.g. the father feels needed, helps his partner).

For the mother, close contact with the baby is very important and minimizes the risk of baby blues appearing.

Kangarooing – origin

Kangarooing is a way of care known since 1978. Its origins took place in a hospital in Bogotá, where women giving birth prematurely or women with complications had newborn babies on their breasts to increase their chances of survival. However, it should be remembered that kangarooing as skin-to-skin contact is recommended for every newborn.

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