It was a new experience for Beena Sharma (27) as she delivered her first child but her anxiety increased after she had a premature baby.

However, two days after the childbirth, Beena is relieved as her child has gained weight and is out of any danger usually associated with premature childbirth. And all that she had to do was to continuously embrace her child, literally.

Promoting humanised technology in newborn care, the Kashiben Gordhandas Patel Children Hospital (KGPCH) is now the second hospital in the city to adopt the Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) technique.

After introduction of KMC at the Sir Sayajirao General Hospital's paediatric ward a few months back, the observations revealed that the weight gained by premature babies given KMC treatment was two times in comparison to the weight gain made by babies kept in incubators.

The skin-to-skin contact of the newborn with its mother has been proven to be more beneficial than the artificial temperature maintained by an incinerator. The mother's touch also stabilises the baby's heart rate.

“There are certain myths about KMC that more precautions need to be taken when the child is left with the mother. But it's the other way round. Sometimes, the child in the incubators misses a beat but when given KMC, the heartbeat and breathing pattern of the mother and the child are in sync," said Dr Uma Nayak of the National Neo-Natalogy Forum (NNF).

In KMC, the child is kept in a frog-like position over the mother so as to have a skin-to-skin contact. "It is very similar to a kangaroo keeping its kid in its pouch. The method is not just cost effective but also child friendly. We have seen that through KMC there has been a better increase in the child's weight as compared to incubator," said Nayak.

Incidentally, not just mothers but other family members including fathers, grand parents can also give 'Kangaroo Care' to the newborn babies. "The point is to have a skin-to-skin contact for the baby. The KMC technique needs to be maintained at least an hour for four times a day," said Nayak.