In My Arms, You Thrive: The Life-Saving Power of Kangaroo Care

Each year on May 15th, the medical community observes International Kangaroo Care Awareness Day, since 2011, to spread awareness of its benefits and honor a simple yet effective practice that transforms the lives of premature and low birthweight babies: Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC).

This year’s (2025) theme, "In My Arms, You Thrive," is more than a slogan—it’s a commitment to protect and nurture every newborn through the healing power of touch. It’s a tribute to the strength of mothers, the dedication of healthcare providers, and the unity of communities working together to give small babies their best chance at life. ^[1]

What Is Kangaroo Care?

Kangaroo care involves skin-to-skin contact between a baby and a caregiver (typically the mother), often paired with exclusive breastfeeding. The baby, wearing only a diaper, is held upright against the bare chest of the mother or other caregiver and covered from the back, mimicking the way baby kangaroos stay in their mother’s pouch. This method provides warmth, comfort, and stabilizes the infant, acting as a natural incubator.

Pioneered in Bogotá, Colombia in the 1970s by Drs. Edgar Rey and Hector Martinez, KMC was inspired by a traditional practice observed in local communities—where newborns were bundled and held closely to a caregiver’s chest. The method proved life-saving in resource-limited settings and has since become a global standard. Some accounts suggest that the inspiration came from a village wet nurse who carried newborns against her chest, improving survival outcomes.

Recent Study

Groundbreaking results published in the New England Journal of Medicine from a recent clinical trial conducted in five countries across Africa and Asia have confirmed a revolutionary shift in care. The study was supported by WHO and conducted in five tertiary-level hospitals in Ghana, India, Malawi, Nigeria, and Tanzania. ^[2]

Starting kangaroo mother care immediately after birth for preterm and low birth weight babies, rather than waiting for the baby to stabilize in an incubator, can save up to 150,000 additional lives each year, the study shows. The study shows that a two-hour session is more beneficial than a one-hour session when performed for at least seven days in a row.

The study followed 3,211 infants with birth weights between 1.0 and 1.799 kg. Those who received immediate KMC had significantly lower mortality rates at 28 days compared to those given conventional care. Mothers or surrogates provided an average of 17 hours of skin-to-skin contact daily in dedicated Mother-Newborn Intensive Care Units (ICUs).

WHO Recommendations

WHO formally endorsed KMC and published guidelines in 2001. It has always been a strong advocate of kangaroo mother care and exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months and continuing it until 2 years of age. Previously, WHO recommended starting KMC after a baby was clinically stable, which could take 3–7 days, and to practice it for eight to 24 hours daily. But recent studies call for a change to zero separation between mother and newborn right from birth.

“The best way to nurture a low birthweight baby is through ongoing skin-to-skin contact in a mother-newborn couplet care unit,” says Dr. Bjorn Westrup of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, a technical expert of the trial.

To support this shift, Mother-Newborn ICUs must be designed to allow immediate, continuous care for both the mother and the baby. These units facilitate not only skin-to-skin contact but also provide respiratory support, temperature regulation, infection management, and breastfeeding assistance—essential for both survival and development.

Proven Benefits of Kangaroo Care

For Infants:

• Regulates breathing and heart rate

• Supports healthy weight gain

• Reduces infection rates

• Prevents hypothermia

• Decreases risk of low blood sugar

• Significantly lowers mortality

For Parents:

• Boosts confidence, bonding, and emotional regulation

• Decreases maternal stress, depression, and separation anxiety

• Increases breastfeeding success due to an increase in hormone levels

Mothers also produce more breast milk after a kangaroo care session due to the proximity, warmth, and scent of their baby. This natural stimulation reinforces both milk production and infant rooting behavior, laying the foundation for successful breastfeeding.

In a discussion about the benefits of Kangaroo Care on MedBound Hub, Dr. Munish Kumar Raizada, MD, FAAP, a US Board-certified neonatologist, said:

"Kangaroo mother care (KMC) is now a universally accepted treatment modality in all NICUs. It’s pretty beneficial, to say the least. Also called skin-to-skin care, it originated in the 1970s. Kangaroo care improves bonding between mother and baby, helps in early healing, improves breastfeeding rates, and supports earlier NICU discharge. For preemies, KMC is just a pure blessing. Like breastfeeding, kangaroo care is something natural that should be put to the benefit of the baby."

Not Just for Preterm Babies

While kangaroo care is often promoted for preterm or low birthweight infants, its benefits extend to all newborns. Skin-to-skin contact promotes breast milk production, emotional bonding, helps regulate body temperature, and provides a calming environment that promotes physical and psychological development—no matter the baby's birth weight.

This Kangaroo Mother Care Awareness Day, let’s create more awareness in healthcare systems, governments, and communities to invest in Mother-Newborn ICUs, avoid mother-infant separation, and champion immediate kangaroo care as the global standard.

To Conclude

“In My Arms, You Thrive” is more than a theme—it’s a call to transform how we care for our smallest, most vulnerable patients. Skin-to-skin contact isn’t just soothing; it’s clinically proven, life-saving care. By embracing immediate and continuous kangaroo mother care, we give these babies not just the chance to survive—but to truly thrive.

References:

1. Kangaroo Care. "2025 Theme: 'In My Arms, You Thrive'." Accessed May 15, 2025. https://kangaroo.care/pages/2025theme.

2. World Health Organization Immediate KMC Study Group. "Immediate 'Kangaroo Mother Care' and Survival of Infants with Low Birth Weight." New England Journal of Medicine 384, no. 21 (2021): 2028–2038. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2026486.

3. World Health Organization. "Kangaroo Mother Care Started Immediately After Birth Critical for Saving Lives, New Research Shows." May 26, 2021. https://www.who.int/news/item/26-05-2021-kangaroo-mother-care-started-immediately-after-birth-critical-for-saving-lives-new-research-shows.

4. Cleveland Clinic. "Kangaroo Care (Skin to Skin): What It Is & Benefits." Accessed May 15, 2025. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/12578-kangaroo-care.

5. Days of the Year. "International Kangaroo Care Awareness Day (May 15th)." Accessed May 15, 2025. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/international-kangaroo-care-awareness-day/.

6. Boundy, Ellen O., et al. "Understanding Kangaroo Care and Its Benefits to Preterm Infants." Pediatric Health, Medicine and Therapeutics 8 (2017): 15–23. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5683265/.
   

By Dr. Theresa Lily Thomas, BDS

_MSM