Actually nothing at all!. KMC is just prolonged skin-to-skin between a parent (usually the mother) and her baby. The best place to put the baby is on the parent’s bare chest, (chest to chest) with the baby naked (except for the diaper) in a frog-like position. The baby’s head lies at the level between the parent’s breast.

You may hear people talking about KMC wraps. These wraps may not be provided free and may need to be purchased. The wrap should be designed to allow the baby to be comfortably secured to the parent’s chest, yet allowing the parent to be able to safely move around for activities such as folding clothes or tending to other children.

Please do not confuse wraps with baby carriers. Baby carriers do not secure the baby skin to skin in a proper frog-like posture.

There is no research to show that a baby will be clingy with KMC. In fact, it may be the opposite. Babies who have received KMC may be better adjusted. A preterm infant who did not receive KMC may be less well-adjusted and hence clingy. This could be because babies born preterm are separated from their mother too soon and KMC helps to create a similar secure and safe environment that they would have if still in their mother’s womb

Your baby will let you know when he does not need KMC any more. Signs that show that it may be time to stop KMC include the baby persistently trying to wriggle away instead of enjoying the KMC moment as he/she had done previously. When that happens, you can decide if it is time to stop KMC.

This depends on which part of the body is infected and the extent of the infection. If it is on her chest and involves her whole chest, the mother needs treatment first. Meanwhile, KMC can be performed by other healthy family members such as the father, sibling or even the grandparents.

Cellulitis-Core EM (Image source from internet)

KMC does not cause the baby to have breathing difficulties if you correctly position the baby on the chest, i.e. with the baby lying upright with his head turned to the side facing your breasts. His/her nose is unlikely to be obstructed in this position. 

Of note, preterm babies have a tendency to stop breathing for a period of time. KMC actually helps to reduce this tendency because your breathing movements help the baby breathe more regularly. However, at any point if you are worried about how the baby is breathing, seek help immediately.

You can contact enquiries@kangaroomothercaremalaysia.net. We will attend to your queries as soon as possible.