Kangaroo Care: Experiences and Needs of Parents in Neonatal Intensive Care: A Systematic Review ‘Parents’ Experience of Kangaroo Care’

Abstract

This review is focusing on the experiences and needs of parents with infants within NICU regarding Kangaroo Care. Ten studies with qualitative designs were included. Kangaroo Care was overall experienced as positive; giving parents the opportunity to get to know their babies and (re-) construct their parenting role. Parents need potential barriers like communication, support, environment and physical needs to be facilitated in a way that they contribute to a positive experience. • Information and communication of nurses, support of partner and family, Parents' physical needs and obligations and the NICU environment can act as barriers. Keywords:• Nurses are the designated persons to improve all external factors experienced as barriers in order to improve the KC performance.

Determinants of Kangaroo Mother Care Uptake for Small Babies Along the Health Facility to Community Continuum in Karnataka, India

“… 29 – 30 Similarly, a previous study reported that information and practical advice provided by HCWs on assistance and encouragement in positioning the babies for KMC was valuable for mothers to continue KMC. 45 Despite most of the mothers in this setting being from homes with limited amenities, often with a single bed for more than 5 family members, they were still able to continue KMC at home, pointing indirectly to their awareness of the benefits of KMC and the support 26 , 27 , 43 they received at home through fKMC providers or family members for domestic chores. Their knowledge of and the possibility of experiencing the benefits of KMC could have motivated them to sustain KMC uptake even at home.…”

“…For example, presumed outputs of capacity-building initiatives through on-site mentoring and specialist supportive supervision for HCWs were changes in their knowledge, attitude, and skills to implement KMC. These variables included: health facility preparedness 21 , 23 , 25 , 27 ; HCWs’ knowledge, attitude, and skills on KMC 21 , 23 , 25 , 27 , 28 ; KMC initiation and maintenance support received at the health facility 24 , 26 ; mothers’ knowledge, attitude, and KMC maintenance support received at home 22 – 24 ; and the babies’ sex, weight, and health status at birth. 21 , 28 To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to test the following hypotheses: (1) health facility preparedness increases early initiation and duration of KMC before discharge; (2) HCWs’ optimal knowledge, attitude, and skills are likely to impact uptake of KMC by mothers; and (3) mothers who are supported at the health facility by HCWs and at home by family members and CHWs are likely to practice KMC for longer duration at the health facility and subsequently at home, respectively.…”