The midwife as a guide for the application of the Kangaroo mother care method. A case report

We present a clinical case of a premature birth from a mother of 33+5 weeks gestation where the newborn was admitted to the neonatal unit due to her low weight, chest retraction and prematurity, despite an Apgar score of 8/9/10 and birth weight of 1.300 g. The team of midwives that attended the woman from her arrival performed an assessment according to Virginia Henderson's Needs. Nursing diagnoses for the mother of Situational low self- esteem and Deficient Knowledge were established, and of Ineffective thermoregulation for the newborn infant. The care plan was based in great measure on the Kangaroo-mother care method which was started in the neonatal unit, and adapted to the needs and care required by the newborn infant. The method enabled the parents to cope with the situation in a better way and the vital signs of the infant to be maintained.