International Kangaroo Care Day is observed annually on May 15. It is a global event that seeks to improve kangaroo care in terms of safety, implementation, research, awareness, and education. It also seeks to highlight the physiological and psychological advantages of marsupial care.
The background of International Kangaroo Care Awareness Day
International Kangaroo Care Awareness Day (Kangaroo Mother Care or K.M.C. Day) was founded on May 15, 2011 by Yamile Jackson, Ph.D., P.E., P.M.P. in an effort to increase the global safety, implementation, research, awareness, and education regarding kangaroo care.
A popular way to celebrate kangaroo care day is by hosting a “kangaroo-a-thon,” a friendly competition to see who can hold an infant for the longest amount of time. Jackson is a Ph.D. engineer in ergonomics and the mother of Zachary, a micro-preemie born on May 15, 2001. Jackson and her husband used kangaroo care to save Zach’s life in the N.I.C.U. when his life-support apparatus failed when he was three weeks old and weighed less than one pound. Zach persevered and flourished despite insurmountable odds. Currently, he attends college.
Jackon’s life mission and transformative aspiration is to enhance the healthcare, development, neuroprotection, and mental health of hospitalised infants and their families.Dr. Edgar Rey and Dr. Hector Martinez first suggest it in Bogota, Colombia.Clark is one of the first to try kangaroo care in the United States with her son Danny at a hospital in St. Paul Minnesota.
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5 STEPS TO TAKE BEFORE BEGINNING KANGAROO CARE
You can transmit your illness to your infant, so it’s best to wait until you feel better.
Ideally, you should have skin-to-skin contact with your infant for at least 60 minutes.
Avoid using perfume and ensure you have no rashes, cold sores, or exposed skin lesions.
Avoid this unhealthy practise for both you and your child’s sake.
Turn off all electronic devices and use this quiet time to read or sing to your infant.
INTERNATIONAL KANGAROO CARE AWARENESS DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | May 15 | Monday |
| 2024 | May 15 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | May 15 | Thursday |
| 2026 | May 15 | Friday |
| 2027 | May 15 | Saturday |