Kangaroo Care: The Complete Guide for New Parents

When you become a new parent, you receive what feels like millions of bits of advice. It’s on everything from how to act to what to buy for your little one. You might be compiling all these tips and trying to attempt them all. But some of the most powerful things you can do as parents are also some of the most natural and intuitive. Kangaroo care, also known as skin-to-skin contact with your baby is one of these things. We’re here to offer a complete, no-judgement, helpful guide for new parents wanting to learn about this beautiful act.

What Exactly Is Kangaroo Care?

Kangaroo care is skin-to-skin contact with your infant, especially immediately after birth. It’s something parents have been doing probably since the dawn of humanity and earlier, and it’s a practice we see in many other species (namely, kangaroos).

So the act is nothing new, but it got an official name and more attention from the scientific community in the 1970s. The most cited account of its inception is from Bogotá, Colombia, where doctors suggested that mothers hold their premature newborns against their chests immediately after birth. It was an alternative to incubator care and an attempt to lower the high infant mortality rates among preemies. It worked.

Babies who were held this way survived and thrived at much higher rates than those who weren’t. Fast forward to today, and this method isn’t just for preemies in the NICU. It is the gold standard for all newborns, and it offers benefits beyond a baby’s first few minutes in the world.

Why Should You Do It?

So what exactly are these benefits? And why does it have to be skin-to-skin? Let’s dive into the biological magic that happens when there are no layers of fabric between you and your little one.

Benefits for Your Baby

Transitioning from the womb to the outside world is a massive shock. It’s bright, loud, and cold out here. Your baby is stunned and craving the familiarity of the womb, and skin-to-skin contact acts as a bridge between their two worlds.

When you practice skin-to-skin contact, your baby experiences physiological changes almost immediately. Specifically, this contact regulates their body temperature, stabilizes their heart rate, synchronizes their breathing, and improves their oxygen saturation levels.

Additionally, being on your chest reduces their stress hormones (cortisol) and boosts oxytocin. This means less crying and more calm alertness. This physiological connection helps explain why babies find comfort in security blankets and other soft toys, familiar scents, and gentle textures later in life. They are constantly seeking that initial feeling of warmth and safety they first found on (and in) you.

Benefits for You

This isn’t a one-way street. Parents get a massive oxytocin boost from skin-to-skin contact too. This “love hormone” helps reduce your anxiety, promotes bonding, lowers your blood pressure, and increases your confidence in caring for this tiny human.

Skin-to-skin contact is also highly grounding for new parents to help regulate your nervous systems after birth. After the physical and emotional challenges of birth, having direct contact with your baby can help to ease your anxiety and reassure you of your child’s safety. 

Moreover, if you are breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact can actually make it easier and more effective. The proximity and hormones stimulate milk production, help the baby latch more easily, signal your body to produce the right amount of milk, and extend the duration of breastfeeding relationships.

How To Practice Kangaroo Care: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you want to give kangaroo care, a try, we’re here to help you do so safely and confidently, whether you’ve already given birth or are still awaiting your little one. Below is a complete guide for new parents, and keep in mind that your doctor will be able to provide additional information and support.

1. Set the Scene

First, find a comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed. A recliner, a rocking chair, a propped-up spot in bed, or a cozy couch works perfectly. You want to be able to lean back slightly, but not lie flat. Keep the room warm and dim the lights if you can.

2. Prepare Your Baby

Your little one should be wearing only a diaper. If it’s cold, you can also put a hat and socks on them. But their torso and limbs should be bare.

3. Prepare Yourself

Remove your shirt or bra, or wear a shirt that opens in the front (button-downs or robes are excellent for this). You want your chest completely bare to maximize contact.

4. The Positioning

Place your baby vertically on your chest. Their head should be turned to one side so their airway remains open and clear. Their legs should be in a “frog” position (bent and tucked up), and their arms should be flexed.

5. Cover Up

Drape a blanket, a wrap, your open shirt, or a specially designed skin-to-skin contact top over your baby’s back. This keeps the heat in. Just make sure the baby’s face remains uncovered.

6. Relax

Sit back, relax, and just breathe. Talk softly to your baby, sing a little song, read a book, or just enjoy the silence. That’s it.

Dads and Partners: It’s Your Turn Too

Listen up, partners—you aren’t exempt from this! In fact, skin-to-skin contact is one of the absolute best ways for non-birthing parents to bond with their babies. Since you can’t breastfeed, this offers a unique way to soothe and connect with your child.

Your baby benefits just as much from your warmth and heartbeat. It helps them recognize your scent, learn your voice, settle down effectively, and feel secure in your arms. Additionally, it lets the birthing parent take a much-needed break to shower, nap, or enjoy the underrated luxury of eating a sandwich with two hands.

Safety Tips

Kangaroo care is very safe, but do keep these tips in mind:

• Always keep the baby’s face visible. Their chin should be off their chest to ensure they can breathe easily.
• If you are feeling sleepy, put the baby in their bassinet. It is not safe to fall asleep while holding the baby on a couch or chair.
• If you have a fever or a contagious skin condition, skip the skin-to-skin until you are well.

You’ve Got This

Parenthood is a wild ride full of guessing games and trial and error. But holding your baby close is one thing you don’t need to overthink. It’s instinctual. It’s healing. That tiny heartbeat against yours is the best therapy in the world.

Catherine O’Brien is a couples therapist in Sacramento, CA who helps parents reconnect, communicate, and thrive—even during the busiest seasons of life. HappyWithBaby.com| Book An Appointment