An Australian couple have filmed the adorable moment premature twin babies hold hands while lying on their father’s chest.
Watch the video here: www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/world/heartwarming-moment-premature-twin-babies-grasp-hands
At The Little Miracles Trust, we’re very big advocates of Kangaroo cuddles. You can see examples of the La-Z-Boy chairs provided in the photo gallery of How we Help on our Facebook page.
Kangaroo Cuddling was pioneered in Columbia in the 1970s by a pediatrician who was looking for a way to keep premature babies warm in an area that was too poor to have incubators. Kangaroo cuddles has now become much more than a way to keep babies warm and multiple studies have proven that it has a number of benefits for parents and for babies.
Once babies are well enough, they are taken out of their incubators and placed on their parent’s chest, usually under their clothes, so the baby gets skin-to-skin contact and can hear the parent’s heartbeat. This closeness provides a warm and soothing environment and helps the parent feel closer to their baby. Some studies suggest that kangarooing may result in physical benefits, fewer breathing problems, less energy-wasting fidgeting, faster weight gain and a more constant body temperature.
A lot of babies seem to improve when they’re being held by their parents. They’ve been listening to these voices in the womb and even the smallest babies recognise their families, and babies who are happier tend to do better. It is also suggested that talking to your baby while kangaroo cuddling is especially good as the vibrations through your chest assist.
NB. If you have a very young or sick baby, do ask your nurse if you baby is ready for kangaroo cuddles yet.
For details of the history and the benefits of kangaroo cuddles, check out these links:
http://journals.lww.com/advancesinneonatalcare/Fulltext/2008/06001/Kangaroo_Care.1.aspx
http://preemies.about.com/od/parentingyourpreemie/a/Kangaroo-Care.htm
http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/10/10/kangaroo-mothers-and-the-power-of-touch/
