Benefits for the parents include:
- Enhanced attachment and bonding (Tessier et al., 1998).
- Resilience and feelings of confidence, competence, and satisfaction regarding baby care (Tessier et al., 1998; Conde Agudelo, Diaz Rossello, & Belizan, 2003; Kirsten, Bergman, & Hann, 2001).
- Increased milk volume, doubled rates of successful breastfeeding and increased duration of breastfeeding (Mohrbacher & Stock, 2003).
- Physiologically her breasts respond to her infant's thermal needs (Ludington-Hoe et al., 2006).
- Profoundly beneficial for adoptive parents with critically ill preterm infant (Parker L, Anderson GC. , 2002).
Benefits for the babies include:
- Kangaroo Care reduces neonatal mortality (Conde-Agudelo et al, 2011).
- Less incidence and severity of infection (Charpak N, Ruiz-Pelaez JG, Figuero de Calume Z, Charpak Y., 1997).
- Accelerated autonomic and neurobehavioral development (Feldman R, Eidelman, 2003).
- Promotes self-regulation in premature infants: sleep wake cyclicity, arousal modulation, and sustained exploration (Feldman R, Weller A, Sirota L, Eidelman A., 2002).
- Consistently high and stable oxygen saturation levels, lower airway resistance, fewer apnea episodes, and an increased percentage of quiet sleep (Ludington- Hoe, Ferreira, & Goldstein, 1998).
- Stable temperature within normal thermal zone, heart rate, and respiratory rate (Ludington-Hoe et al., 2010).
- Reduced crying associated with painful procedures (Kostandy R, Ludington-Hoe SM, 2008).
- Breast milk is readily available and accessible, and strengthens the infant's immune system.
- The maternal contact causes a calming effect with decreased stress and rapid quiescence (McCain, Ludington-Hoe, Swinth, & Hadeed, 2005; Charpak et el., 2005).
- Reduced physiological and behavioral pain responses (Ludington-Hoe, Hosseini, & Torowicz, 2005).
- Increased weight gain (Charpak, Ruiz-Pelaez, & Figueroa, 2005).
- Enhanced attachment and bonding (Tessier et al., 1998).
- Positive effects on infant's cognitive development (Feldman, Eidelman, Sirota, & Weller, 2002).
- Less nosocomial infection, severe illness, or lower respiratory tract disease (Conde-Argudelo, et. al., 2003).
- Restful sleep (Ludington-Hoe et al., 2006).
- Earlier hospital discharge (London et al., 2006).
- Possible reduced risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) (see www.infactcanada.ca).
- Normalized infant growth of premature infants (Charpak, Ruiz-Pelaez, & Figueroa, 2005).
- May be a good intervention for colic (Ellett, Bleah, & Parris, 2002).
- Possible positive effects in motor development of infants (Penalva & Schwartzman, 2006).
- The critical stimuli to which the baby is exposed during KC are:
Vestibular: the chest movement of the breathing of the parent, and walking if allowed
Tactile: the skin and natural warmth of the parent on the bottom (chest), on the sides (breast of mother), and the back (The Zaky ZAK™)
Olfactory: the scent of the parent and the maternal breast milk.
Auditory: by the voices and heartbeat of the parent.