Access provided by
London Metropolitan University
Sarah Penn describes how skin-to-skin contact improves clinical outcomes, breastfeeding rates and mortality, and strengthens the parent-child bond
Skin-to-skin contact, or kangaroo care (KC), has benefits for babies and parents, improving clinical outcomes, temperature control, breastfeeding rates and child-parent bonding; it reduces morbidity and mortality. Barriers to KC for neonates may include a lack of training for nurses, lack of time, maternal or child physical or mental ill health, and inappropriate settings. With education and helpful management, neonatal nurses can advocate for KC for all babies. Parents may need information and encouragement to begin with. Therefore, nurses can improve the experiences of their patients and, in the long run, free time to perform clinical procedures.
Nursing Children and Young People. 27, 5, 22-27. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.27.5.22.e596
Correspondence Peer reviewThis article has been subject to open peer review and checked using antiplagiarism software
Conflict of interestNone declared
Received: 16 November 2014
Accepted: 01 April 2015
Alternatively, you can purchase access to this article for the next seven days. Buy now
Are you a student? Our student subscription has content especially for you.
Find out more