Melbourne maternity hospitals push to clock up the cuddles with premature babies

Maternity hospitals across the country are competing to log as many hours of “kangaroo care” as possible, with the lifesaving skin-to-skin cuddles proven to help kickstart the lives of premature babies.

Maternity hospitals in Melbourne are competing to get the most hours for kangaroo care. Picture: David Caird

It is a lifesaving type of cuddle. The skin-to-skin contact between a parent and their premature newborn not only promotes bonding and maintains their temperature, but boosts the baby’s overall health.

Maternity hospitals across the country are competing to log as many hours of “kangaroo care” as possible during the Miracle Babies Foundation’s Kangaroo-a-thon.

Mother of triplets Paula Savage kangaroo cuddles two of her premature boys, Charlie and Eddie. Picture: David Caird

Mercy Health’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit has taken up the challenge, clocking up 169 hours over two weeks — an average of a daily hour-long bare-chested cuddle for each of the sickest 18 patients.

Acting nurse unit manager at Mercy Heidelberg, Jemma Binney said there was clear research about the benefits of kangaroo care for the smallest patients, born too young for this world.

“For some families they don’t get that opportunity to have cuddles with their baby, sometimes for a few months,” Ms Binney said.

“They can see their baby in the isolette, but they might be too unwell to bring them out.

“So when they can, it helps parents feel closer to their baby and increases the milk supply.

“It stabilises the baby’s breathing and temperature. It just regulates all their vital signs; their heart rate, blood pressure and they feel calmer when they’re on the chest of their parent.”

Paula Savage has enjoyed kangaroo care every day since her identical triplet sons — Charlie, Eddie and Joshua — were born 10 weeks ago at 24 weeks gestation.

“It’s not the typical baby experience in NICU, you can’t pick up you baby any time you want,” Mrs Savage said.

“The time that I can spend with them in this way is so special. It’s a stress release for me, when they come out onto me their oxygen requirements go down and they typically fall asleep they’re so relaxed.”