OBJECTIVES When you have completed this unit you should be able to: Promote Kangaroo Mother Care. Teach a mother how to give Kangaroo Mother Care. Use Kangaroo Mother Care in the nursery. Establish a Kangaroo Mother Care ward. Teach ambulatory Kangaroo Mother Care. Use Kangaroo Mother Care for transport.

COPYRIGHT

All rights reserved. No part of this Perinatal Education Programme may be altered in any way without the written permission of the editorial board of the Perinatal Education Trust. To facilitate the improvement of perinatal care, the Programme may be reproduced for teaching purposes provided due acknowledgement is given and the material is not sold for financial profit. While the advice and information in the Programme is believed to be accurate, the editorial board cannot accept responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions that may have been made.

PROMOTING KANGAROO MOTHER CARE

44-1 WHAT IS KANGAROO MOTHER CARE?

Kangaroo Mother Care (or skin-to-skin care) is a method of caring for newborn infants. The infant is nursed between the mother’s bare breasts in direct contact with her skin. Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is particularly useful for nursing low birth weight infants (infants with a birth weight below 2500 g). KMC is a way of keeping mother and infant together.

The details of the principles of KMC are given in Unit 43 of the Perinatal Education Programme.

44-2 HOW CAN YOU GET HEALTH CARE WORKERS TO ACCEPT KANGAROO MOTHER CARE?

It is often not easy to get KMC started in a hospital or clinic as both medical and nursing staff may think that KMC is dangerous and will result in more work and expense. Any new idea is difficult to introduce at first. A clear description of KMC, together with the advantages and safety must be presented to all the staff, including the senior management. Allow time for discussion where questions and fears can be raised. KMC will not be successful unless the staff are convinced that it can be done and will benefit mothers and infants.

It is very useful if a few of the staff can visit a hospital where KMC is being used successfully. Here they can see KMC at first hand. It would also help to invite a few staff members from another hospital, where KMC has been established, to present a talk on their experience.

KMC is a radical change from the traditional western model of caring for small infants. The main obstacles to the introduction of KMC are fixed ideas and attitudes.

*** Introducing KMC into a service represents a major shift in the way infants are managed. All the staff must “buy in” to this new method of mother and infant care or it will not be successful.

44-3 HOW IS KANGAROO MOTHER CARE IMPLEMENTED?

The implementation of KMC depends on the following:

1. The staff‘s acceptance of KMC.
2. Adopting a KMC policy.
3. Writing KMC guidelines.
4. Training the staff to use KMC.
5. Teaching mothers to give KMC.
6. Establishing facilities for KMC.
7. Managing ambulatory KMC.
8. Educating the community to accept KMC.

Every maternal and neonatal service should have both a Kangaroo Mother Care policy and a clear set of guidelines. Health care workers, managers, policy makers and funders need to be convinced that KMC offers better, more cost effective care.

ALL THE STAFF MUST BE ENCOURAGED AND TRAINED TO HELP MOTHERS PROVIDE KANGAROO MOTHER CARE TO THEIR SMALL INFANTS