Kangaroo care: is it for everyone?
OBJECTIVE
In spite of the benefits reported for kangaroo holding, many mothers of preterm infants requiring intensive care do not choose to hold kangaroo style. The purpose of this study is to describe factors that influence mothers healthy preterm infants to choose kangaroo holding compared to the standard care method of blanket holding.


METHODS
Twenty-four primiparous mother of healthy infants born at 30-34 weeks gestational age.


METHODS
In this naturalistic inquiry, mothers were interviewed twice: once while the infant was hospitalized and again after the infant was discharged home.


RESULTS
Mothers' holding practices divided them into three groups: (1) kangaroo holding in hospital and home, (2) blanket holding in hospital and home, and (3) holding practice switched from hospital to home. Three themes emerged from the interview data: (1) emotional state, (2) holding environment, and (3) benefits of close contact with the infant.
Neu
Madalynn
M
University of Colorado School of Nursing, Denver 80262, USA. madalynn.neu@uchsc.edu
D000328:Adult; D000739:Anecdotes as Topic; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D009769:Object Attachment; D013997:Time Factors