Kangaroo mother care is a method for Low Birth Weight babies (read our previous post on How to feed a low birth Weight Baby) that provides skin-to-skin contact for the purpose of;
- Providing warmth
- Allowing the baby to be in close proximity to the mother’s breast makes the demand for breastfeeding easier.
- To encourage early and exclusive breastfeeding.
- Dress the infant in a nappy/diaper, hat, and socks only.
- Place the infant skin-to-skin on your chest ( either mother or caretaker) between the breasts, with the infant’s head turned to one side.
- Tie the infant with a cloth while he/she is attached to your body. You can ask someone to help you.
- Use your clothes to cover yourself and the infant too.
- Encourage the mother to breastfeed the infant frequently if she’s doing kangaroo care.
Point to Note: Different caretakers can care for the baby using the kangaroo method.
How it’s done?
If the infant can not breastfeed, then give him/her expressed breastmilk with a spoon and cup. When the infant starts to suckle well and is gaining weight, reduce the feeding from the cup and use the breast.
Contact our nutritionist on how to feed a low birth weight baby especially when it comes to complementary feeding.
Dietician /Nutritionist Aunt Porridge || +256 787 070 057
