Seven of the Many Benefits of Kangaroo Care

Warming of infant's hands and feet occurs within 90 minutes of birth when infants are in Kangaroo Care versus several days for infants who are swaddled and placed in a crib (Bystrova et al., 2003).
Kangaroo care and breastfeeding increase levels of oxytocin in mothers, enhancing attachment to their infant and their sense of motherhood (Uvnas-Moberg, 2003). ? Infants in kangaroo care cry 10 times less and for shorter periods than infants in cribs (Christensson et al., 1992).
Newborns placed in kangaroo care immediately after birth begin suckling with correct latch within 50 to 80 minutes (Righard & Alade, 1990; Ransjo Arvidson et al, 2001).
Breast milk and skin-to-skin contact produce immunogloblins to protect the infant from illnesses (Sosa, Kennel, Klaus & Unutia, 1976).
Infants who receive kangaroo care while in NICU tend to have a shorter stay by an average of one week (Ludington-Hoe).
“Infants held skin to skin six hours a day the first week after birth and two hours a day the second through fourth weeks appear to be socially bidding to Mom at the age of three months in contrast to the age of seven months as recorded in
previous studies." (Still Face Studies, Bigelow, 2007).

Steps to Receive the Benefits of Skin-to-Skin Care

Infant is placed on Mom immediately after Birth and remains until after the first breastfeeding.
Infant is held Skin-to-Skin 30 minutes before the second and third breastfeeding.
Infant is held Skin-to-Skin a minimum of six hours a day for the first week.
Infant is held a minimum of two hours a day for the second through fourth week.

It is recommended that the infant be held as much as possible in Skin-to-Skin Care for the first three months and thereafter.

References

Bigelow, A. (2007). Personal communication.

Bystrova, K., Widstrom, A.-M., Matthiesen, A.-S., Ransjo-Arvidson, A.-B., Welles-Nystrom, B., Wassberg, C., et al. (2003). Skin-to-skin contact may reduce negative consequesces of “the stress of being born”: A study on temperature in newborn infants, subjected to different ward routines in St. Petersburg. Acta Paediatrica, 92, 320-326.

Christensson K, Siles C, Moreno L, et al. (1992). Temperature, metabolic adaptation and crying in healthy fullterm newborns cared for skin-to-skin or in a cot. Acta Paediatrica,.81, 488-493.

Ransjo-Arvidson, A. B., Matthiesen, A. S., Lilja, G., Nissen, E., Widstrom, A.-M., & Uvnas-Moberg, K. (2001). Maternal analgesia during labor disturbs newborn behavior: Effects on breastfeeding, temperature and crying. Birth, 28, 5-12.

Righard L,& Alade MO. (1990) Effect of delivery room routines on success of first breast-feed. Lancet., 336, 1105-07.

Sosa R, Kennell JH, Klaus M, & Urrutia JJ. (1976). The effect of early mother-infant contact on breastfeeding, infection, and growth. In: Elliott K, Fitzsimmons DW, eds. Breastfeeding and the Mother Ciba Foundation Symposium. vol 45, (pp. 170-193). NY: Elsevier Excerpta Medical.

Uvnas-Moberg, K. (2003). The oxytocin factor, tapping the hormone of calm, love, and healing. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press.

Widstrom A-M, Wahlberg V, Matthiesen A-S, Eneroth P, Uvnas-Moberg K, Werner S, Winberg J. Short-term effects of early suckling and touch of the nipple on maternal behavior. Early Hum Dev. 1990;21:153-63.