CPS publishes new policy in support of kangaroo care for preemies

From the Pan American Health Organization's
Gallery of photos, Kangaroo Care by Jane Dempster

This is a critically important policy that should be examined and adopted by all NICUs in Canada. It will prevent death and illness in premature babies. Skin-to-skin and kangaroo care increases the amount of milk a mother is able to make - and express - for her baby. For preemie babies unable to latch - the availability of mother's own milk will reduce the volume of donor human milk needed which will allow that resource to stretch farther.

Kangaroo care for the preterm infant and familyAnn L Jefferies; Canadian Paediatric Society, Fetus and Newborn CommitteePaediatr Child Health 2012;17(3):141-3
"The benefits of breast milk for the preterm infant are well-known and include decreased incidence of infections and necrotizing enterocolitis, and improved growth and neurodevelopmental outcome. KC is associated with a longer duration of breastfeeding, higher volumes of milk expressed, higher exclusive breastfeeding rates and higher percentage of breastfeeding at the time that preterm infants are discharged from hospital (20,21)."