UK is First in Lexington to Launch Kangaroo Care Program

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 22, 2012) — The University of Kentucky is the first hospital in Lexington to implement "Kangaroo Care" practices, a special training program based on the widely held belief that "skin-to-skin" contact between mothers and infants promotes breastfeeding and bonding.

Named for its similarity to the manner in which certain marsupials carry their young, the program was initially developed to care for preterm infants in areas where incubators are either unavailable or unreliable. Since that time, more medical facilities have adopted the practice for both pre-term and full-term babies due to its benefits.

The basic concept involves immediately placing a newborn chest down on the mother or father’s bare chest, which generates warmth and provides access to breastfeeding for the mother.

UK recently became the first hospital in Lexington to go live with its Kangaroo Care practices, and the results have been overwhelmingly positive so far, says Gaye Whalen, head of the lactation department at UK.

"The mothers really like the calming effect that Kangaroo Care has on both them and their babies," Whalen said. "It allows them to see how natural breastfeeding can be, and it's the most important time for breastfeeding during their hospital stay.  Babies typically drink more colostrum during Kangaroo Care related to their 'alert state' and the maternal hormone effect."

Christi Willen, a Lexington mother who recently had her third child at UK, said the new practice made a significant difference in the transition to breastfeeding. Her daughter, Evelyn, was placed on her chest immediately upon being born for about an hour before nurses came in to take their typical measurements.

"This is my third baby, and this time around the transition to breastfeeding was much easier than the previous two. Within just a few days, breastfeeding was well established," Willen said. "The bonding time was sweet, too -- not just for me and her, but also for Dad, as well."

Kentucky's Kangaroo Care program was launched by staff at University of Louisville Hospital in 2007, and a significant increase in breastfeeding rates resulted among women who gave birth there. In 2011, the Kentucky Women, Infants, and Children Program partnered with Louisville to create and implement a series of statewide trainings for the rest of the state’s birthing hospitals.

MEDIA CONTACT: Allison Perry, (859) 323-2399 or allison.perry@uky.edu