Perscription: snuggle with your baby

In the United States (or any developed country) you can go into a hospital at any time and see babies under warming lights and incubators.  In developed countries these are a great idea because we have the resources to keep them hygienic.  However, in developing countries the tools and supplies are not available for the proper maintenance of such technologies.  As my boss put it, 'they quickly become dangerous petri dishes for infection'.


The very simple, natural and innovative solution that has been found is called Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC).  This is called a health interventions, but it is simply the mother (or another relative) holding the premature infant skin to skin on the chest.  When this intervention was introduced it was solely to keep the infant warm.  After studying the reaction of the baby more closely it was discovered that the contact did way more than just warm the infant.  The babies heart beats began to regulate, their immune systems were stronger and they were more calm and content.

It's funny to me that we need to be told to do what should come so naturally, just lay down and snuggle with your sweet baby!  There is not strong evidence that the KMC is a better choice than incubators when they are kept clean and germ free.  However, it is definitely a better choice than the very scary petri dishes in the developing world.

If you are interested, here are some more resources to educate yourself about KMC.

Inspiring video:
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/videos/Pages/default.aspx#video=/livingproofproject/Pages/kangaroo-mother-care-malawi.aspx&pager=0&filter=&autostart=true 
How-to guide from WHO: http://www.who.int/making_pregnancy_safer/documents/9241590351/en/
New York Times Article:
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/13/the-human-incubator/?hp
Cochran Review:
http://www2.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab002771.html
KMC info site:
http://www.kangaroomothercare.com/index.htm