title: Positive effect of kangaroo mother care on long-term breastfeeding in very preterm infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the use of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) and its association with breastfeeding at 1 to 6 months of corrected age in mothers of very preterm (VPT) and preterm (PT) infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective longitudinal study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neonatal Intensive Care Units in four counties in Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 103 VPT (< 32 gestational weeks) and 197 PT (32-36 gestational weeks) singleton infants and their mothers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on KMC, measured in duration of skin-to-skin contact/day during all days admitted to a neonatal unit, were collected using self-reports from the parents. Data on breastfeeding were obtained by telephone interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VPT dyads that breastfed at 1, 2, 5, and 6 months had spent more time in KMC per day than those not breastfeeding at these times. A trend toward significance was noted at 3 and 4 months. In the PT dyads no statistically significant differences were found in the amount of KMC per day between those dyads that breastfed and those that did not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows the importance of KMC during hospital stay for breastfeeding duration in VPT dyads. Hence, KMC has empowering effects on the process of breastfeeding, especially in those dyads with the smallest and most vulnerable infants.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Social Studies, Dalarna University, Uppsala, Sweden. rfl@du.se
authors.forename: Renée
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Flacking
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ewald
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wallin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013548:Sweden