Kangaroo Zak FAQs

Under the premise that the premature or low weigh baby, once he/she overcomes his/her pathologies or complications, only needs to mature to regulate his/her temperature, the Colombian paediatrician Edgar Rey Sanabria emulated the physiology of the kangaroo and started to use mothers as human incubators. Later, it would be the investigation team of the Kangaroo Foundation (Colombia) who scientifically researched that this technique, not only was effective for the regulation of the baby's heat, but it was effective for his/her growth, neurodevelopment, psychomotor development and "social skills" of bonding and love as well.

In its origins, the inspiration of the inventor was Kangaroo Mother Care because at first only the mother took part in the process. However, although it has been promoted the participation of all the family, they wanted to preserve the name because generally it is the mother the one who does most of the job

The decision must come from an agreement between the health professionals and the parents (given the experience of the professionals, the decision of the family and the training and support of the Unit staff and the intensity depends on the stability of the baby) The KCM and more specifically the skin to skin contact can be initiated at different stages of the hospitalization of the baby and for different purposes. At the NICU, the baby is hold intermittently to facilitate the mother - baby bond and increase the breast milk production and he/she be hold for more than an hour so that the baby can sleeps and reap the benefits of the skin to skin contact; shorter periods could be stressful for the baby and applicants for the health personnel. At the Intermediate Care Unit, are the most stable babies and can be hold for a longer period of time, and even stay in the mother's chest 24/7 (this is only achieved with the use of the Kangaroo Zak). At the Basic Care Unit, except in special cases, babies are hospitalized for observation and "weight gain", and of course can be hold 24/7.