This is from Medscape.
http://pediatrics.medscape.com/reuters/prof/2000/12/12.19/20001218prof003.ht
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Anna Swisher
LLL Leader
Austin, TX

Kangaroo Method of Neonatal Care Giving Good Results in Brazil
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RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters Health) Dec 18 - Humanizing neonatal intensive care
in Brazil is bringing about some positive changes for mothers and newborns,
and even makes good financial sense for the hospital, according to Dr.
Fatima Doherty, speaking at the 5th Latin-American Congress in Perinatology
here.

When used as a complementary tool in the care of low-birth weight or
premature children, the Kangaroo method improves breast-feeding rates,
reduces hospital infections, and costs less, overall, than traditional
incubator-based treatment used alone.

The Kangaroo method involves keeping the baby strapped to the mother's chest
for 24 hours per day, where constant skin-to-skin contact serves to improve
maternal bonding, which incubator-based care often prevents.

In a study performed in Recife, the improved mother-child relationship that
the Kangaroo method encourages resulted in breast-feeding rates three months
after discharge as high as 63%, and the daily cost of US$20 per day compares
favorably with the US$66 per day of incubator-based care.

Dr. Nelson Diniz de Oliveira, from the Ministry of Health and coordinator of
the Kangaroo program in Brazil, told Reuters Health that the method is only
used in conjunction with incubator-based care, and does not replace it. "It
is known that in some countries, such as Columbia, where the method was
developed in the 1970s, it is used to replace incubator care because of lack
of resources. However, in Brazil we use it to improve care that already
exists, from a psychological viewpoint for the mother and the baby."

"Only mothers who are fully prepared to commit to the method, and babies
that fulfill stringent criteria in terms of a stable medical condition, are
considered for the method," Dr. Diniz de Oliveira added. "We then maintain
24-hour neonatal intensive care support for the mother should she need it.
The method is very useful, and we will be expanding its use around the
country."

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