Mothers’ Experiences of Kangaroo Mother Care During Hospitalization of Their Preterm Babies at an Academic Hospital in Johannesburg

Abstract

Kangaroo mother care (KMC) implies placing the newborn pre-term baby in intimate skin-to-skin contact with the mother's chest and abdomen coupled with frequent and preferably exclusive breast-feeding. This is similar to marsupial care-giving, where the premature baby is kept warm in the maternal pouch and close to the breasts for unlimited feeding. KMC has emerged as a non-conventional low cost method for newborn care that provides warmth, touch, and security to the newborn and is believed to confer significant survival benefit. The purpose of this study was to understand the mothers lived experience and perception towards 24-hour Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) during hospitalization of their preterm babies. Phenomenological study methods were applied through in-depth unstructured interviews, on purposefully selected participants. Their lived experience was analyzed using Collaizzi's steps to phenomenological data analysis. Data analysis revealed three major themes: (a) "it is a bond between me and my child" (b) nurse-parent interaction, and (c) "it is tiring and exhaustive". The study found that all the mothers in spite of exhaustion, reported high level of satisfaction with KMC because it allowed them to be closer to their babies, hence giving them the opportunity to observe their growth and became fully involved in the care. The excellent nurse-mothers' interaction reinforced the KMC concept in care of preterm babies and was rated significant in the transition period of motherhood. The interaction enabled mothers to shift from passive observers to active participants in the care of the preterm babies. KMC was additionally noted to have provided a comforting and warm environment for the babies, thus enabling them to grow faster via weight gains and this in turn increased maternal satisfaction. Recommendation for further research preferably using quantitative methods to establish relationship between production of breast milk and the use of KMC is envisaged. The principle of 24-hour KMC should also be incorporated and emphasized in all levels of preterm baby care hospitals and educational training as this practice has been found to have numerous benefits both to the mothers and to their preterm babies.

Experiences of Xhosa women providing Kangaroo mother care in a tertiary hospital in the Western Cape, South Africa

“…The mothers in the ward found KMC useful because it allowed them to be closer to their babies and to be more attuned to their babies. This was similar to findings from another South African study in Johannesburg where the mothers also reported KMC to be satisfactory, as they felt closer to their babies and could monitor their growth closely (Kipchumba Tarus, 2015). KMC was accepted by the mothers and seen to be a beneficial concept that had some parallels to the Xhosa women’s own culture.…”

Mothers’ quality of life delivering kangaroo mother care at Malawian hospitals: a qualitative study

“…Other studies on the scale-up of KMC have previously described challenges, including that mothers may get tired of being in one position for prolonged periods [ 7 , 9 , 20 ] resulting in sleep deprivation for the mother [ 21 , 22 ]. However, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study investigating mothers’ QoL while delivering KMC in a resource-limited setting.…”

“…Additionally, the form of KMC practiced may have implications. While intermittent KMC was associated with improved maternal mental health [ 33 ], continuous KMC was exhausting and stressful for caregivers to undertake the care of vulnerable low birthweight infants full-time [ 21 , 22 ]. KMC wards at our study hospitals in Malawi were not equipped with incubators.…”

“…Healthcare workers' supportive care and appropriate KMC unit infrastructure and equipment have been shown as valuable to caregivers during KMC practice [ 24 ]. Supportive nurse mothers' interaction and staff assistance in infant care, such as expressed breastfeeding during the night, are needed [ 21 , 22 ]. Allowing other caregivers within a woman’s support system, including husbands, in providing KMC supports mothers and reduces their isolation, which can also alleviate the sense of being restricted in their movements, boredom, and anxiety.…”

Experiências Das Mães No Cuidado Ao Recém-Nascido Prematuro No Método Canguru

“…A rotina diária de demandas geradas para a mãe pelos cuidados ao bebê, o distanciamento da vivência domiciliar e a longa permanência no ambiente hospitalar torna o período de hospitalização do bebê por vezes estressante, o que culmina tanto no desgaste físico como emocional da mãe (25)(26) .…”