Kangaroo care, or skin-to-skin contact, is a technique of newborn care where babies are kept chest-to-chest and skin-to-skin with a parent.
Kangaroo care was developed in Bogota, Colombia in the late 1970s. This type of care was a response to a high death rate in preterm babies — the death rate for premature infants was approximately 70% at that time. The babies were dying of infections, respiratory problems and simply due to a lack of attention. Researchers found that babies who were held close to their mothers’ bodies for large portions of the day not only survived, but thrived. (Ref. Cleveland Clinic)
