We’re all too
accustomed to seeing babies wrapped in the arms of their loving mothers (while
dad watches with a blissful expression on his face), so when a photo of a father
and his son holding the new babies (twins!) in the family circulates around the internet,
everyone understandably goes ‘awwww’. In fact, while mothers are often given a
lot of credit where child rearing goes, the presence of fathers in their
children’s lives is crucial for the child’s wholesome development.
Fathers too
need to hold their babies, and preferably against his naked chest. If the
father frequently talks to the baby or mother, the baby can recognise their
fathers’ voice. Being in skin-to-skin contact with their father calms the baby
down and helps father and child bond.
Popularly
termed as Kangaroo care, after the way baby kangaroos share skin contact with
their mother until the day they mature, skin-to-skin contact between the parent
and newborn is a popular way to help premature babies adapt, and it requires
the parents to hold the baby for as long as possible throughout the day, with
no clothing as a barrier. Not only will this promote bonding, but it also has a
variety of health benefits.
In
premature babies, the parent’s body warmth is more effective in regulating the
baby’s body than an incubator. It also promotes better breathing and quicker
weight gain. Coming into contact with the parents’ bacteria, instead of the
other bacteria in the incubating room, also reduces the risk of serious
infection.
A Canadian study also revealed that premature babies who underwent Kangaroo care as a
treatment had better brain functioning at 15 years old, compared to those who
had been placed in incubators. This was due to the baby having a more stabilized
heart rate, better oxygenation and improved sleep.
For
breastfeeding mothers, the mutual benefits are even more pronounced. Newborns
have a heightened sense of smell. When the baby is placed skin-to-skin with
Mummy, he or she will have an easier time seeking out the nipple to initiate
the breastfeeding process. Milk production is also stimulated to produce more
milk when the mother and baby are in contact. While one would obviously not be
able go topless in public to breastfeed, perhaps it feels so much more
comfortable for both mum and baby to do so at home, not to mention, safer (baby will not be suffocated by
the clothes or attempt to damage it), that a study published in Neonatal Network revealed that mothers who practiced kangaroo care were more likely to
breastfeed for a longer time, and exclusively instead of resorting to formula
milk.
According
to The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, skin-to-skin contact could
also minimise the risk of depression and maternal anxiety, which in turn
reduces the probability of getting post-natal blues.
In administering
kangaroo care, more is better. The first two hours after birth is the most
crucial as the baby has just arrived and your comfort and cuddles can be a
great help to ease him/her into the new environment. Frequent kangaroo care
should be given in the first twenty weeks or so. The more the better, but of
course, do it only when both baby and parents enjoy it. If the baby starts showing
signs of restlessness and wants to get off your chest, then it is obviously a
signal for you to stop.
0 comments: