MATERNAL AND NEONATAL FACTORS INFLUENCING KANGAROO BABY CARE AT AN URBAN MATERNITY HOSPITAL IN KENYA

Abstract

Abstract

Introduction

Kangaroo Baby Care (KBC) is the consistent skin to skin contact between low birth weight newborn baby and mom or a substituted care giver, so as to control the infant’s temperature. The study was carried out in February 2020. The aim was to assess the influence of maternal and neonatal factors on KBC practice at Pumwani Maternity Hospital, Nairobi.

Methods

This was a descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study, involving 111 respondents who were selected through systematic random sampling method. Data was collected using a semi-structured researcher administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 24.

Findings

Majority of the respondents were aged between 25-34 years (52.3%, n=58) and most had secondary education (45.9%, n=51). Majority of the mothers were married (72.1%, n=80) and the source of income was majorly from business (34.2%, n=38) .Majority (53.2%, n=59) earned more than Kshs.20 000 per month. Most of the respondents (46.8%, n=52) had a parity of 2-3, and the gestation of majority (53.2%, n=59) ranged between 29-35 weeks. Most babies (67.6%, n=75) weighed 1.5-2kg, and majority (61.3%, n=68) were of post-neonatal age at the time of the study. On KBC practice, majority (72%, n=80) had poor practice. 

Conclusions and recommendations

The study concluded that the practice of KBC was poor. Level of education of the mother, gestational age of the baby, birth weight of the baby and age of the baby by the time of study were significantly affecting practice of KBC at p<.05. The study recommended that midwives assist the mothers to initiate KBC immediately after delivery where applicable and insist on adherent to good practice regardless of the preterm baby’s gestational age and birth weight.