Korean J Women Health Nurs.  2011 Dec;17(5):454-462. 10.4069/kjwhn.2011.17.5.454.

The Effects of Kangaroo Care on Maternal Self-esteem and Premature Infants' Physiological Stability

• Lee J
• Bang KS

• KMID: 2308236
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.2011.17.5.454

Abstract

PURPOSE
This paper identified the effects of kangaroo care (KC) on maternal self-esteem and the growth and physiological stability of premature infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit.
METHODS
The experiment was conducted with an experimental group of 17 infants, and a control group of 17 infants selected by convenience sampling. KC was given to the infants one time a day for 30 minutes after feeding for two weeks. Their weight was measured every morning, and their physiological stability was measured in terms of their body temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and stability of the cardio-respiratory system in premature infants (SCRIP) score, as physiological responses at every 10 minutes during the intervention. Maternal self-esteem was assessed by a maternal self-report inventory.
RESULTS
The experimental group showed significant increase in the self-esteem of mothers. Also, KC was effective on physiological stabilization of preterm infants.
CONCLUSION
This study suggests that KC can be provided in clinical settings more widely in Korea as one of the nursing interventions aimed at promoting maternal self-esteem as well as infants' physiological stabilization.

Keyword

Kangaroo care; Premature infants; Physiological response; Maternal self-esteem; Nursing

MeSH Terms

Body Temperature
Heart Rate
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infant, Premature
Intensive Care, Neonatal
Korea
Macropodidae
Mothers
Oxygen
Respiratory Rate
Oxygen

Figure

• 

  Figure 1 The data collection procedure.

Reference

1. Ahn H.Y., Lee J.H., Shin H.J. Kangaroo care on premature infant growth and maternal attachment and post-partum depression in South Korea. Journal of Tropical Pediatrics. 2010. 56(5):342–344.

2. Bialoskurski M.M., Cox C.L., Wiggins R.D. The relationship between maternal needs and priorities in a neonatal intensive care environment. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2002. 37(1):62–69.

3. Charpak N., Ruiz J.G., Zupan J., Cattaneo A., Figueroa Z., Tessier R., et al. Kangaroo mother care: 25 years after. Acta Paediatrica. 2005. 94:514–522.

4. Chiu S.H., Anderson G.C. Effect of early skin-to skin contact on mother-preterm infant interaction through 18 months: Randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 2009. 46(9):1168–1180.

5. Chwo M.J., Anderson G.C., Good M., Dowling D.A., Shiau S.H., Chu D.M. A randomized controlled trial of early kangaroo care for preterm infants: Effects on temperature, weight, behavior and acuity. The Journal of Nursing Research: JNR. 2002. 10(2):129–142.

6. Conde-Agudelo A., Belizan J.M., Diaz-Rosello J. Kangaroo mother care to reduce morbidity and mortality in low birthweight infants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Online). 2011. 16(3):CD002771.

7. Dodd V.L. Implication of kangaroo care for growth and development in preterm infants. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing. 2005. 34(2):218–232.

8. Faul F., Erdfelder E., Buchner A., Lang A.G. Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1: Tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behavior Research Methods. 2009. 41:1149–1160.

9. Feldman R., Eidelman A.I., Sirota L., Weller A. Comparison of skin-to-skin(kangaroo) and traditional care: parenting outcomes and preterm infant development. Pediatrics. 2002. 110(1):16–26.

10. Fischer C., Sontheimer D., Scheffer F., Bauer J., Linderkamp O. Cardiorespiratory stability of premature boys and girls during kangaroo care. Early Human Development. 1998. 52(2):145–153.

11. Föhe K., Kropf S., Avenarius S. Skin-to-skin contact improves gas exchange in premature infants. Journal of Perinatology: Official Journal of the California Perinatal Association. 2000. 20(5):311–315.

12. Hall D., Kirsten G. Kangaroo mother care-a review. Transfusion Medicine. 2008. 18:77–82.

13. Han K.J., Bang K.S. The verification of maternal self-esteem inventory. Korean Parent-Child Health Journal. 1999. 2:64–82.

14. Jang M. Effects of kangaroo care on growth in premature infants and on maternal attachment. Journal of Korean Academy of Child Health Nursing. 2008. 15(4):335–342.

15. Johnson A.N. Factors influencing implementation of kangaroo holding in a special care nursery. MCN. The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing. 2007. 32(1):25–29.

16. Koo H.Y. The effects of kangaroo care on body weight, physiologic response and behavioral states in premature infants. Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing. 2000. 30(1):171–182.

17. Lawhon G. Facilitation of parenting the premature infant within the newborn intensive care unit. The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing. 2002. 16(1):71–82.

18. Ludington-Hoe S.M., Anderson G.C., Swinth J.Y., Thompson C., Hadeed A.J. Randomized controlled trial of kangaroo care: Cardiorespiratory and thermal effects on healthy preterm infants. Neonatal Network. 2004. 23(3):39–48.

19. Ludington-Hoe S.M., Hadeed A.J., Anderson G.C. Physiologic responses to skin-to-skin contact in hospitalized premature infants. Journal of Perinatology. 1991. 11(1):19–24.

20. Moore E.R., Anderson G.C., Bergman N. Early skin-to skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Online). 2007. (3):CD003519.

21. Neu M., Robinson J. Maternal holding of preterm infants during the early weeks after birth and dyad interaction at six months. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing: JOGNN/NAACOG. 2010. 39(4):401–414.

22. Parmar V.R., Kumar A., Kaur R., Parmar S., Kaur D., Basu S., et al. Experience with kangaroo mother care in a neonatal intensive care unit(NICU) in Chandigarh, India. Indian Journal of Pediatrics. 2009. 76:25–28.

23. Roller C.G. Getting to know you: Mothers' experiences of kangaroo care. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing: JOGNN/NAACOG. 2005. 34(2):210–217.

24. Seoul National University Hospital. The Guidelines of Infection Control. 2008. Seoul: Infection Control Service of Seoul National University Hospital.

25. Shea E., Tronick E. Fitzgerald H., Lester B., Yogman M, editors. The maternal self-report inventory: A research and clinical instrument for assessing maternal self esteem. Theory and Research in Behavioral Pediatrics. 1984. Boston, Mass: Plenum.

26. Shin F.J. The effects of kangaroo care on the maternal attachment and postpartum depression as well as on the growth preterm infants. 2007. Daejeon: Eulji University;Unpublished master's thesis.

27. Smith K.M. Sleep and Kangaroo care: Clinical practice in the newborn intensive care unit where the baby sleeps. Journal of Perinatal Neonatal Nursing. 2007. 21(2):151–157.

28. Swinth J.Y., Anderson G.C., Hadeed A.J. Kangaroo(skin-to-skin) care with a preterm infant before during and after mechanical ventilation. Neonatal Network: NN. 2003. 22:33–38.

29. Uvnäs-Moberg K., Widström A.M., Marchini G., Winberg J. Realease of GI hormones in mother and infant sensory stimulation. Acta Paediatrica Scandinavica. 1987. 76(6):851–860.

30. World Health Organization. Kangaroo mother care: A practical guide. 2003. Geneva: WHO publication.