skin to skin/kangaroo care

Sherry - posted on 04/10/2009

Kangaroo Care was awesome. I often fell asleep with her in my arms. I have no doubt that that is why she did so well. She was born 13 weeks early and is about to turn 10.

Schmoopy - posted on 02/27/2009

Kangaroo Care is amazing! My DD was born at 29 weeks, and we did it as often as possible.

The most amazing thing about it is if the baby's temp drops, your temp will rise to compensate. Our bodies make the best incubators! Nature is so smart!

Courtney - posted on 02/27/2009

I had prem twins born 16 weeks early. I started kangaroo care with my son at 2 weeks old, for 2 hours a day and it worked wonders on him. Unfortunately I wasnt able to hold my daughter till 3 1/2 weeks but also did 2 hours a day with her then eventually together. I found it all an amzing experice to be able to nurture my twins like that. There were 5 prems in our room and I was the first to hold my babies and they were the only ones to not get major infections and never lost weight. We also got transfered to our home town hospital first. I highly reccomend kangaroo care for the benefit of both mother and babies. I always wish I could have them small again so I can have that experince again!!

Julie - posted on 02/23/2009

kangaroo care rocks! 26 weeker, now 11.5 months actual age, laying on my chest (face to chest) as I type 1-handed. Not kc totally, but it still calms him w just that. it really heps mom and baby!

Rosalie - posted on 01/26/2009

I love kangaroo care! It's really great, I'm doing it with my twins now. My first daughter was born at 30 weeks as well and the hospital she was at didn't even do this, if they did they never even mentioned it to me, that was 9 years ago. Kangaroo care really helps the babies.

Donna - posted on 01/25/2009

I loved kangaroo care time. I think I was even more relaxed when we were doing that, in fact I would dose off while I was holding him. My husband also enjoyed this experience and helped with the daddy/son bonding time.

Kelly - posted on 01/25/2009

yes i had preemie twins born 9 weeks 4 days early, weighing 2lb 9 and 3lb 9. i did kangaroo care and it was a lovely experience, my twins went from strenght to strength and was released after 4 weeks (they were 35 weeks) when they came home weighing just 3lb 12 and 4lb 5. reqlly progressed fast.

Christen - posted on 01/24/2009

My husband and I both used kangaroo care with our daughter while she was in the NICU, and we loved it! It is so hard to feel that parental intimacy when your child is hooked up to all of those wires and monitors, but kangaroo care allowed us to bond with our baby despite all of that. It was wonderful!!!

Emma - posted on 01/24/2009

it was called "kangaroo care" at the rvi scbu-newcastle. i didnt think it was anything to do with hormones i did it to help regulate my daughters breathing and heartbeat and it worked really well. she had good days and bad days and i cudnt hold her on the bad days buit whenever i did kangaroo care i would be able to hold her for far longer than holding her normally and i have to admit her breathing did seem more relaxed in that position. i just found it strange being in a hospital room with all these people around sitting topless. even with the screens i foundit offputting having other people around! shes to big for it now and im totally gutted!

Amy - posted on 01/23/2009

I loved kangaroo care. I actually miss it as strange as that may sound. It was a wonderful way to bond with my son.

Heather - posted on 01/20/2009

i think kangaroo care was the reason my daughter got to leave so early.. she spent only 5 days in the nicu after she was born at 36 wks and weighed 4 lbs 9 oz. When she was born they took her away bc she had no brown fat & couldnt regulate her temperature. On the second day the nurse suggested kangaroo care & we did it & i just didnt want to leave. Alissa just slept right there so peacefully and warm. After that we did it every day & every day she gained more wieght & she got to come home finally, what seemed to me like an eternity. All the nurses were surprised at how fast she grew & developed!

Sarah - posted on 01/20/2009

My son was born 9 weeks early weighing 1lb 13oz. As he was on NICU / SCBU for 10 weeks before we got him home, the only time I could feel close to him was when I had skin to skin. I could forget all the wires and monitors he was connected to and it was our time - just the 2 of us. I really would recomend it. Even now it is one of the few positions (upright against us) that he settles when crying.

Sara - posted on 01/20/2009

We also did it with our son born at 29 weeks, its the most amazing experience and totally helps with the bonding process as you and the baby are so content.

Dana - posted on 01/19/2009

I did Kangaroo care with my daughter(34 wks) and it was wonderful! I would recommend it to everyone!

Stephanie - posted on 01/19/2009

My son loved/s Kangaroo care. He's 1 year now and will only fall asleep laying tummy to tummy..

Staci - posted on 01/19/2009

The Kangaroo Care really helped alleviate most of the guilt I felt about having to leave my little girl in the ICN ( Intermediate Care Nursery.) for 27 days. She was born at 34 weeks and only 3 1\2 pounds. Now she's 15 months and 18 pounds.

Janet - posted on 01/18/2009

We did Kangaroo care in the NICU with our son. I dont know if he still remembers the sensation of being on our skin but my son now two years old has a bed time routine that he just started with my husband.

Just before he falls asleep he says to my husband * Daddy cuddles* then climbs onto my husbands chest and snuggles until he is ready to sleep than slides beside my husband and falls asleep. This is something that he has never done with me and seems like a special daddy son moment. 

My husband feels so blessed to be a father of a preemie, he said that he believes God does things for certain reasons and believes that God has blessed us with such a small and very vulnerable baby to make  you stop and remember what is most important in life. Life and what a beautiful and precious gift it is, this is what our preemie son has given us. We enjoy every moment with our energetic, happy little man.

Teagan - posted on 01/18/2009

yeah i did it in hospital and at home, i loved the bond it was really amazing

Sandra - posted on 01/18/2009

Hi Emily,

I have had twins too. They were born at 24 weeks and weight only 750 and 720 gr. Mu son Oliver died two days later from extreme bleeding to his brain and lungs and my son Andrej kept fighting for 111 days. He came home without oxygen and any medication. He is a real hero!

I kangarooed him EVERY day and few times a day. I strongly belive that kagaroo care and my breast milk saved my son's life! Amaizing feeling as a mom isn't it? You feel like a mom even though there were soooooooooooo many machines he was pluged to.....

Andrej is now 21 months and doing great. Andrej recived his first cochlear implant is learning how to listen and how to talk. Other then that he is a perfect little boy who loves everyone.

I just thought of sharing the stoey with you...good luck with everything...twins are blessings and yes I am a mother to twin boys....one who is angel and watching over his brother and other who is making my life heaven.

Love,

Sandra

Carmen - posted on 01/18/2009

Hi-I too had twin girls born a 26 weeks.  One weighed 2.3 pounds and the other was 2 pounds.  Yes we did the kangaroo care.  It is fine.  You hold the baby up to your chest.  This is good for the baby becasue they feels the mothers warmth and the smell.  It was an excellent experience for me.  Not to mention the bonding that occurs.  I kangaroo care every time I could.

Katie - posted on 01/18/2009

I loved Kangaroo Care. My son was born at 31 weeks, 3 days and I think that was why he only was in the hospital for 24 days and came home without any machines. He was on a ventilator for 3 days and very quickly went to Cpap, Nasal Cannula, then nothing. I went to the hospital everyday and held him for 6 hours (from doctor's rounds to shift change). After we started spending that much time with it his condition very quickly improved and it is the only thing that kept my milk supply up so that I could breast feed him later. In fact, he is now 5 months old and just got his second set of shots which has had him in a terrible mood for the last few days. Last night he was completely inconsolable and I stripped him down to his diaper, took my shirt off, laid him on my chest, and cuddled him. He calmed down immediately and was in a good mood the rest of the night.

Amanda - posted on 01/18/2009

My son was born at 30 weeks and spent 10 weeks in the NICU. My husband and I both did Kangaroo Care as often as possible. His stats always seemed to improve during and he always slept so comfortably. I think it also helped us as parents because it was the one thing that we felt we could do to help him and it also helped us to feel closer to him.

Lindsay - posted on 01/18/2009

My daughter was born at 29 weeks and we did the kangaroo care and loved, loved, loved it!

Cassie - posted on 01/17/2009

I did kangaroo care extensively in the NICU with my 29 weeker and it was amazing. The first time I did it with him the nurse situated him in my bra and he fit right up under my chin. We did it at least 5 times a week. I could literally watch his oxygen go up and his heart rate even out when I was holding him. And they are never too big. You can still do it after you go home with them.

Britney - posted on 01/17/2009

My son was 8 weeks early. I did skin to skin with my son. and i liked it. everything is so crazy and you are dealing with a lot of stuff, it gives you a feeling of warmth. It made me grasp that my son was here, that everything going on was real and it made me know he was alright. plus if you are going to breast feed it helps your milk come in. Best of luck.. They will be 17 pounds before you know it. Mine is..lol..

Amy - posted on 01/16/2009

I did it with my 29 weeker and I loved it! I was almost sad that he got too big to do it :)

Renee - posted on 01/16/2009

I loved kangaroo care! It is an amazing experience.