Everyone LOVES The Zaky ZAK for Kangaroo Care and Volunteer Cuddlers

Infants were full-term (> 37 weeks GA). Mothers assigned to the Kangaroo Care Group were given a KC wrap (Nurtured by Design's  The Zaky ZAK/Kangaroo Zak)

ABSTRACT
A randomized control trial was conducted to investigate the effects of skin-to-skin, chest-to-chest contact (kangaroo care, KC) in mother-infant dyads on patterns of infant brain activity and associated mother-infant neurohormone releases. 33 mother-infant dyads participated during pregnancy (29–38 weeks gestation), at neonatal and 3-month periods.

Overall, analyses indicated that:
1) infants in the KC group showed left frontal brain activation patterns (asymmetry and coherence) associated with KC training;
2) KC produced moderate to large increases in oxytocin levels; and
3) KC yielded moderate decreases in cortisol reactivity.

Findings suggest KC may garner favorable neuro-maturational and neurobiological outcomes for dyads.

Neonatal Skin-to-Skin Contact [With The Zaky ZAK]: Implications for Learning and Autonomic Nervous System Function in Infants With Congenital Heart Disease 

by Tondi M. Harrison, PhD, RN, FAAN , Chao-Ying Chen, PhD, MS, PT , Phyllis Stein, PhD , Roger Brown, PhD , and Jill C. Heathcock, MPT, PhD

The publication that reports the results of Skin to Skin Contact/Kangaroo Care with infants with congenital heart disease is published!

Every mom/baby dyad used The Zaky ZAK (aka Kangaroo Zak) for Skin to Skin contact sessions, and is acknowledged/described in the paper on page 3.

The Sobreviver Project (Survive) By Mary Coughlin, RN, MS, NNP, Caring Essentials Collaborative, LLC. Boston.Publication: Kangaroo Care Implementation [with The Zaky ZAK] - Quality Improvement Project