I'm a Joey- a Kangaroo Baby
When a baby kangaroo (a joey) is born, it is barely the size of a bean. It crawls unaided from the mother's birth canal up the abdomen into the pouch. When the joey is inside, it attaches its mouth to one of the four nipples. The joey matures in the safety and warmth of his mother's pouch. Isn't nature wonderful?
Going back to basics is now the latest trend for moms who deliver too soon before her EDD (expected delivery date).
Marcie and Tony's EDD was October 9, 1999. On July 20,1999, while in week 28 of her pregnancy, Marcie gave birth. Sydney weighed 2 pounds and 6 ounces.
Nancy and Mike also delivered early. Nancy's EDD was on September 25, 1999, but because of an infection, Nancy went into labor. They couldn't stop her contractions and her water broke. On June 20, 1999, in week 26, Nancy delivered her baby. Tyler weighed 1 pound and 15 ounces.
The nurses were the ones to suggest that the babies might be ideal candidates for Kangaroo Care. To give them more information, they were given a pamphlet. The staff told them the decision to participate was left up to the parents.
The kangaroo method is taken from Mother Nature's example with the kangaroos. The premature baby, wearing only a diaper, is placed on the mother's or father's bare chest, inside the blouse or shirt. A blanket is placed over the baby. The warm skin-to-skin contact benefits both parents and baby.
Knowing that Kangaroo Care would let them hold their babies - an opportunity they might not otherwise have while Sydney and Tyler were in isolettes in the NICU. Both sets of parents said "yes" to Kangaroo Care. The nurses placed colored-cardboard signs on the babies' isolettes that said, "I'm a Kangaroo Baby!"
"We thought it was a really good idea as now we were able to hold her," says Marcie.
"I could tell Sydney was more relaxed and had a deeper sleep when I held her," says Marcie. The baby benefits from the warmth of the parent's body-heat, since premature babies don't have fat to keep them warm. Kangaroo Care has a calming effect over the baby. The baby is placed near the parent's heart and lungs, in between both breasts and this mimics what the baby is used to hearing - the heartbeat, the breathing and the warmth felt from within the womb.
"Participating in Kangaroo Care enabled Mike and me to see Tyler in a different light. He wasn't this baby in an isolette," says Nancy. "He was our tiny little son, in our arms. We could touch him, kiss him and comfort him. We took the time to take his temperature, change his diaper and take on our roles as parents. That felt really good!"
Latest Articles