Amid decades of advancing technology in the health sector across North America, a back-to-basics therapy program that connects newborn babies to their mothers B次元官网网址� literally B次元官网网址� will expand across B.C. in hopes of helping families get back to the comfort of their homes sooner after birth.
The B.C. government announced $500,000 on Wednesday in Vancouver, earmarked to broaden a skin-to-skin attachment program called Kangaroo Mother Care to hospitals all over the province.
The approach is rather simple, and one that has been used across the world to mirror the technology now found in the neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU.
It involves placing a baby, wearing only a diaper, on the chest of one of the parents or other family members, then securing the pair in a wrap to keep them tightly together for a minimum of 90 minutes.
B次元官网网址淭his very high quality, but low-tech intervention, can be practiced anywhere in the hospitals and at home,B次元官网网址� Dr. Tamil Kendall, provincial executive director of Perinatal Services BC, said. B次元官网网址淚t puts mothers at the centre of the care.B次元官网网址�
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ItB次元官网网址檚 intended to help with cognitive development and breastfeeding in newborns and fragile premature babies, and combats anxiety believed to be caused by separation. ItB次元官网网址檚 also believed to help prevent postpartum depression in mothers.
The program has been used at the BC WomenB次元官网网址檚 Hospital and Health Care Centre in Vancouver for the past five years, with many positive results.
Families in the Interior, the North and the Kootenays will especially beneift, Kendra said, becuase they often have to travel great lengths to receive necessary care during a high-risk or premature birth.
Some mothers in Nelson have to travel to Kelowna, she said, for their babies to remain in the NICU for weeks.
B次元官网网址淔or those of us that come from rural and remote areas, thatB次元官网网址檚 can be really important to be able to go home a week or two early.B次元官网网址�
Skin-to-skin bonding B次元官网网址榚mpoweringB次元官网网址� for moms
About 5,000 babies are born prematurely in B.C. each year. They are especially at risk for hearing loss, vision problems, behavioural problems and neurological disorders.
For Vancouver resident Gina Chung and her son, Forrest Gregg, the Kangaroo Care program has allowed them to move past the scary experience of an emergency C-section and develop a symbiotic bond, simply through him resting on her chest.
B次元官网网址淚 had to do skin-to-skin right away,B次元官网网址� Chung said. B次元官网网址淚 find for bonding itB次元官网网址檚 just so powerful. As a new mother, youB次元官网网址檙e already so anxious, but being able to have him right on my chest really calms me down and calms him down.B次元官网网址�
Program to roll out as early as summer 2018
The provincial funding will pay for training and equipment for hospitals of all sizes.
Health authorities are currently being asked to take part in a review process, expected to be completed by March, to determine which hospitals will get the new program.
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