BCHS NICU places second nationally in Kangaroo Care challenge

A new parent practices Kangaroo Care with her twin babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Brantford General Hospital. Also known as skin-to-skin care, the evidence-based practice promotes bonding while supporting the babies' growth, development and overall health. The BCHS NICU recently placed second nationally among Level 2 NICUs in the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation's inaugural Kangaroo-A-Thon.

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Brantford General Hospital has earned national recognition after placing second among Level 2 NICUs in the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation’s inaugural Kangaroo-A-Thon.

The Brant Community Healthcare System’s NICU logged 205.45 hours of Kangaroo Care involving 17 babies over 11 days, placing it second in Canada among participating Level 2 neonatal units. The national initiative encouraged hospitals to promote skin-to-skin contact between parents and newborns while raising awareness of the practice’s benefits.

More than 12,500 hours of Kangaroo Care were recorded by participating hospitals across Canada during the competition.

For BCHS, the result reflects more than a ranking, said Amy Griesser, BCHS clinical manager for pediatrics, NICU and diabetes education.

“While we placed second nationally, within our NICU and community this achievement represents a first-place success,” Griesser said.

The Kangaroo-A-Thon was created by the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation as an annual national initiative for neonatal units. Hospitals were invited to compete in Level 2 and Level 3 categories, with participating units receiving promotional and educational materials to help encourage families to take part.

Griesser said BCHS joined the challenge because it aligned with the organization’s commitment to person- and family-centred care and improving outcomes for babies.

“Skin-to-skin care is a simple yet powerful intervention that has been shown to improve temperature regulation, cardiorespiratory stability, breastfeeding success, weight gain, sleep quality, and parent-infant bonding,” she said.

Kangaroo Care, also known as skin-to-skin care, involves placing a baby wearing only a diaper, and sometimes a hat, directly against a parent’s bare chest. The baby is covered with a blanket to maintain warmth and positioned upright against the parent. Either parent can provide the care when a baby’s medical condition allows.

At BCHS, the practice is encouraged as part of developmental and family-centred care for premature and medically fragile newborns.

For babies, skin-to-skin care can help regulate body temperature, improve heart rate, breathing and oxygen levels, promote sleep, support weight gain and feeding, reduce stress and support brain development. For parents, it can strengthen attachment, build confidence and help reduce the stress and helplessness that can accompany a NICU stay.

“A parent’s touch remains one of the most powerful interventions available,” Griesser said. The competition also helped BCHS build on progress already being made in the unit. In May, the NICU averaged 171 minutes of skin-to-skin care per patient per day, representing a 110 per cent increase from the previous year. Griesser said the challenge created excitement among staff and families while reinforcing the role parents play in their baby’s care.

“Through this initiative, we were able to further encourage parents by providing education on the benefits of skin-to-skin care and empowering them to be active members of their baby’s healthcare team,” she said. One example shared by Griesser involved a premature infant who had difficulty gaining weight and experienced frequent episodes of decreased heart rate and oxygen saturation. The care team encouraged the parents to provide regular Kangaroo Care.

Over time, the baby appeared calmer during sessions and showed improved heart rate and oxygen stability. As the weeks progressed, the episodes became less frequent, the baby began gaining weight more consistently and eventually became spell-free.

The experience also changed the parents’ role in the baby’s care, Griesser said. They reported feeling more relaxed, confident and connected to their infant as they saw the impact of skin-to-skin contact.

Although there is no formal runner-up award or recognition ceremony planned, BCHS is celebrating the achievement internally and looking at ways to build on the momentum. Possible next steps include daily logs for families, investing in Joey Bands, which are garments designed to support safe skin-to-skin contact and improving documentation practices.

“Finishing second among all participating Level II NICUs demonstrates that BCHS families and staff truly embraced the importance of skin-to-skin care, making it a priority despite the daily challenges and demands within the NICU,” Griesser said.