The impact of kangaroo care on exclusive breastfeeding in low birth weight newborns.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the impact of kangaroo care on exclusive breastfeeding in low birth weight newborns until 6 months of life.


METHODS
Prospective study carried out with 43 newborns (23 allocated in the kangaroo group and 23 in a control group) weighing < 2,000 g and staying in the neonatal unit for at least 7 days. Exclusive breastfeeding rates between the groups were compared until the age of 6 months. The chi-square test for categorical variables was used and the statistical significance level was 0.05.


RESULTS
Exclusive breastfeeding rates were higher in the kangaroo group at hospital discharge (82.6 vs. 0%; p = 0.00), at 40 weeks of gestational age (73.9 vs. 31.6%; p = 0.01), at 3 months (43.5 vs. 5.0%; p = 0.005), and at 6 months (22.7 vs. 5.9%; p = 0.20)


CONCLUSIONS
Kangaroo care showed to be a facilitator of exclusive breastfeeding for low birth weight newborns until 6 months of life.
Almeida
Honorina de
Hd
Instituto de Saúde - Instituto de Pesquisa, Secretaria Estadual de Saúde do Estado de São Paulo, Brazil. honorina.almeida@terra.com.br
Venancio
Sonia I
SI
Sanches
Maria Teresa C
MT
Onuki
Daisuke
D
D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care / Q000379:methods*; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight / Q000254:growth & development*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011181:Postnatal Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015430:Weight Gain