Preterm newborns at Kangaroo Mother Care: a cohort follow-up from birth to six months

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate clinical outcomes, growth and exclusive breastfeeding rates in premature infants assisted by Kangaroo Mother Care at birth, at discharge and at six months of life. METHODS: Prospective study of a premature infants cohort assisted by Kangaroo Mother Care in a tertiary public maternity in Northeast Brazil with birth weight ≤1750g and with clinical conditions for Kangaroo care. RESULTS: The sample was composed by 137 premature infants, being 62.8% female, with average birth weight of 1365±283g, average gestational age of 32±3 weeks and 26.2% were adequate for gestational age. They have been admitted in the Kangaroo Ward with a median of 13 days of life, weighing 1430±167g and, at this time, 57.7% were classified as small for corrected gestational age. They were discharged with 36.8±21.8 days of chronological age, weighing 1780±165g and 67.9% were small for corrected gestational age. At six months of life (n=76), they had an average weight of 5954±971g, and 68.4% presented corrected weight for gestational age between percentiles 15 and 85 of the World Health Organization (WHO) weight curve. Exclusive breastfeeding rate at discharge was 56.2% and, at six months of life, 14.4%. CONCLUSIONS: In the studied sample, almost two thirds of the children assisted by Kangaroo Mother Care were, at six months of life, between percentiles 15 and 85 of the WHO weight curves. The frequency of exclusive breastfeeding at six months was low.

Health Education to Strengthen Breastfeeding Actions

“…Corroborating the data found in the study [10] developed in a tertiary public maternity hospital of the Northeast Region of Brazil, which found a mean maternal age of 26±7 years in their results, and the study that found a mean age of 25.7 years [11].…”

Vivências de mães e bebês prematuros durante a internação neonatal

“…Este processo pode ser possível com a implantação do método canguru na UTIN observada, que contribui de forma signifi cativa para o desenvolvimento do bebê prematuro (Menezes, Garcia, Melo, & Cipolotti, 2014). O método em questão viabiliza o contato precoce entre a mãe e o bebê hospitalizado, permitindo que esta participe mais efetivamente e por mais tempo dos cuidados oferecidos ao bebê, que é estimulado através do contato direto com a pele da mãe, facilitando a amamentação e auxiliando na vinculação da díade.…”

Profile of newborns discharged from the intensive neonatal care unit submitted to the kangaroo ward

“…3,7 The main benefits of KC include: institutional benefits that emphasize the reduction of the risk of crossinfection and nosocomial infection, reducing length of stay and readmissions caused by infections, define themselves as a cost-effective and cost-effectiveness model. 7,8 Regarding to maternal benefits, the method promotes the stimulation of lactation and breastfeeding, developing the mother's confidence in the role of caregiver, and generate family attachment bonds. 4 Regarding to the premature infant, by increasing breastfeeding, provides the transfer of maternal antibodies to the newborn through colostrum and contact; helps in the physical and emotional development of the newborn; stabilizes heart and respiratory rate, oxygenation and body temperature, with an increase of physiological responses.…”

“…This skin contact produces endogenous mechanisms that reduce the crying, the signs of pain and stress after painful stimulation, promotes the maintenance of homeostasis, improve neuro motor behavior as well as providing calm and serenity by listening to the mother's heart sound and the mother's voice. [7][8][9] The method is applied in three distinct stages: the first stage begins in the prenatal facing the diagnosis of highrisk pregnancy with continuity in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The second stage requires clinical stability of the child, minimum weight of 1.250g, interest and mother's availability to stay with the RN the most desired and possible time in the kangaroo position.…”