The aim of this study was to investigate the psychological impact of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) on mother-infant bonding in cases of premature delivery. Examined variables were mother-infant relationships, maternal anxiety levels, and infant interactive signals. The KMC method requires that babies be undressed and held upright between their mother's breasts for a minimum of 1 hr a day, from birth until they are discharged from hospital. The present study examined 40 premature infants and their mothers, with 21 dyads experiencing KMC and 19 receiving traditional care (TC). Maternal emotional stress was assessed with the Parent Stress Index-Short Form questionnaire (Abidin, 1990), and mother-newborn interactive style was assessed with the Nursing Child Assessment Feeding Scale (Barnard, 1975). Results revealed a better mother-infant interactive style, a significant decrease in maternal emotional stress, and better infant ability to make requests and respond to parental interactive style in the KMC group.
Copyright © 2006 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.