Kangaroo Care for Premature Infants

Topic Overview

Kangaroo care is the skin-to-skin holding of an infant on your chest, under a hospital gown or loose shirt. After a premature or sick infant is medically stable, parents can practice kangaroo care. It is known to have positive effects on an infant's heart rate and breathing. It also helps with parent-infant bonding.

Many neonatal intensive care units encourage kangaroo care of premature infants. Some encourage it with tiny infants and infants on ventilators. But others advise it only with more developed, stable infants.