KANGAROO MOTHER CARE: KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES AMONG NURSING MOTHERS AND ITS IMPACT ON WEIGHT GAIN IN LOW BIRTH WEIGHT BABIES;

SUHASINI MEKALA; ARUNA JYOTHI K; NAVEEN S R; VISWANATH J

Volume : IX, Issue : IX, September - 2019

KANGAROO MOTHER CARE: KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES AMONG NURSING MOTHERS AND ITS IMPACT ON WEIGHT GAIN IN LOW BIRTH WEIGHT BABIES;

Suhasini Mekala, Aruna Jyothi K, Naveen S R, Viswanath J

Abstract :

Aims and Objectives: To study the impact of Kangaroo Mother Care in increasing weight gain in Low Birth Weight babies and to analyze the Knowledge Attitude Practices of nursing mothers regarding Kangaroo Mother Care. Materials and Methods: Study Design: A Prospective Study. Study Population: A total of 254 low birth weight babies <2000 g were taken. Setting: Level III NICU & SNCU of a teaching institution in South India. Data analysis: Data is recorded on a pre designed pro forma. Collected data is entered in MS Excel sheet. Subsequently data is analyzed using SPSS statistical software. Tests of significance like chi–square test are applied accordingly. Intervention: Babies were given KMC as per mothers convenience for a duration of 4, 8, 12 hours. Outcome measures: Growth, as measured by average daily weight gain and by other anthropometrical parameters and Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the nursing mothers were assessed by LIKERT scale. Results: The babies who were given KMC for the duration of 4 hours had a mean weight gain of 9.93 grams/day. The babies who were given KMC for the duration of 8 hours had a mean weight gain of 14.7 grams/day, and the babies were given KMC for the duration of 12 hours had a mean weight gain of 17 grams/day. The mean weight gain of the babies with the gestational age between 28–32 weeks was 13.88 grams/day and the mean weight gain of the babies with the gestational age between 33–37 weeks was 12.31 grams/day 71% strongly agreed that KMC provides warmth, 56.69% strongly agreed that KMC reduces hospital stay, 39.37% strongly agreed that KMC increases the weight of the baby, 31.1% strongly agreed that KMC increases the duration of sleep. 68% strongly agreed that KMC increases the confidence of mothers and decreases the separation of the baby, 56.29% strongly felt that KMC gave self satisfaction, 70% strongly agreed that KMC was a costless practice, 63.38% agreed that KMC improves lactation. Conclusion: It concludes that the mean weight gain per day of the babies was increased when the duration of KMC was given the maximum and the babies with the gestational age between 28–32 weeks had more weight gain than that of the babies with gestational age 33–37 weeks. Most of the mothers in the study mentioned that the main barriers of KMC utilization were due to lack of knowledge regarding KMC practice.