Publication:

Kangaroo mother care affect stability vital signs of low birth weight babies

Background The Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is defined as skin-to-skin contact between mother and her new-born. KMC is a simple way to increase the life expectancy of low birth weight and premature infants. The purpose of this study is to explore the stability of vital signs for Low Birth Weight (LBW) infants before and after using KMC.

Methods the design was a quasi-experimental pre and posttest without a control group has been conducted in private hospital perinatal inward Tangerang with 30 LBW babies.

Results The result shows that the stability of vital signs with t-test the baby's temperature that the resulting p=0.001; α=0:05, heart frequency p=0.004; α=0:05, breath frequency p=0.004; α=0:05 and oxygen saturation p=0.011; α=0:05. The stability of vital signs through KMC could be a complement and alternative to conventional nursing for LBW babies and length of stay in hospital could be minimized.

Conclusions The stability of these vital signs through the KMC can be used as a complementary and alternative in the treatment of LBW, particularly those with low birth weight, which can decrease the duration of hospitalization and use of the incubator is an absolute equipment used.